dispersion

C2+ Topic:Physics

US /dɪˈspɜrʒən/ UK /dɪˈspɜːʃən/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the act of scattering or the state of being spread over a wide area

A prism causes the dispersion of white light into a spectrum.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the act of scattering or... scattering diffusion dissemination distribution spread dissipation

Opposites

concentration gathering convergence collection

Word family

Related forms disperse dispersaldispersive

Etymology

From Late Latin dispersio, from Latin dispergere ('to scatter abroad'), from dis- ('apart') + spargere ('to scatter, strew').

dispergere Latin spargere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Physics Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# dispersion

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /dɪˈspɜrʒən/
**IPA (UK):** /dɪˈspɜːʃən/

## Meanings
1. the act of scattering or the state of being spread over a wide area

## Examples
- A prism causes the dispersion of white light into a spectrum.

## Synonyms
- scattering
- diffusion
- dissemination
- distribution
- spread
- dissipation

## Antonyms
- concentration
- gathering
- convergence
- collection

## Related Forms
- disperse
- dispersal
- dispersive

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: dispergere
- Root: spargere

## Etymology
From Late Latin dispersio, from Latin dispergere ('to scatter abroad'), from dis- ('apart') + spargere ('to scatter, strew').

## AI Etymology
Dispersion comes from Late Latin dispersio, from Latin dispergere ('to scatter abroad'), from dis- ('apart') + spargere ('to scatter, strew'). The etymological trail includes Latin dispergere and Latin spargere. As a noun, dispersion names the act of scattering or the state of being spread over a wide area. The same family is visible in related forms such as disperse, dispersal, and dispersive. The analysis is partly morphological, with the modern form built from the elements named in the history.

## Topics
- Physics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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