First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
1diffuse
adjective dif·fuse \di-ˈfyüs\
: spread out over a large space : not concentrated in one area
Full Definition of DIFFUSE
1
: being at once verbose and ill-organized <a diffuse report from the scene of the earthquake>
2
: not concentrated or localized <diffuse lighting><diffuse sclerosis>
— dif·fuse·ly adverb
— dif·fuse·ness noun
See diffuse defined for English-language learners
See diffuse defined for kids
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Origin of DIFFUSE
Middle English, from Latin diffusus, past participle of diffundere to spread out, from dis- + fundere to pour — more at found
Related to DIFFUSE
- Synonyms
- circuitous, circumlocutory, wordy, garrulous, logorrheic, long-winded, pleonastic, prolix, rambling, verbose, windy
Synonym Discussion of DIFFUSE
wordy, verbose, prolix, diffuse mean using more words than necessary to express thought. wordy may also imply loquaciousness or garrulity <a wordy speech>. verbose suggests a resulting dullness, obscurity, or lack of incisiveness or precision <the verbose position papers>. prolix suggests unreasonable and tedious dwelling on details <habitually transformed brief anecdotes into prolix sagas>. diffuse stresses lack of compactness and pointedness of style <diffuse memoirs that are so many shaggy-dog stories>.
Rhymes with DIFFUSE
Aarhus, abstruse, abuse, adduce, Atreus, blue spruce, burnoose, caboose, Cayuse, Cepheus, ceruse, charmeuse, chartreuse, Chartreuse, conduce, couscous, cut loose, deduce, disuse, educe, effuse, excuse, fair use, footloose, hang loose, induce, Lanús, misuse, mongoose, Morpheus, negus, obtuse, Orpheus, papoose, Peleus, Perseus, prepuce, produce, profuse, Proteus, Purus, recluse, red spruce, reduce, refuse, retuse, reuse, Sanctus, seduce, slip noose, snow goose, Tereus, Theseus, traduce, transduce, turn loose, unloose, vamoose
2diffuse
verb dif·fuse \di-ˈfyüz\
: to spread out : to move freely throughout a large area
: to exist or be known throughout an area
: to cause (light) to be soft and spread out
dif·fuseddif·fus·ing
Full Definition of DIFFUSE
transitive verb
1
2
: to subject to diffusion; especially : to break up and distribute (incident light) by reflection
intransitive verb
1
: to spread out or become transmitted especially by contact
2
: to undergo diffusion
— dif·fus·ible \di-ˈfyü-zə-bəl\ adjective
See diffuse defined for English-language learners
Origin of DIFFUSE
Middle English diffused, past participle, from Latin diffusus, past participle
First Known Use: 14th century
DIFFUSE Defined for Kids
diffuse
verb dif·fuse \di-ˈfyüz\
dif·fuseddif·fus·ing
Definition of DIFFUSE for Kids
: to spread or allow to spread freely <The frosted window diffused the sunlight.>
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