proliferation C2 Topic:Numbers & Quantity US /pɹəˌlɪf.əˈɹæɪ.ʃən/ UK /pɹəˌlɪf.əˈɹeɪ.ʃən/ See IPA manual Freq #45876 Meanings 1 noun A rapid increase in the number or spread of something. The proliferation of smartphones changed how we communicate. 2 noun The rapid spread of weapons, especially nuclear ones, to more countries. The treaty aims to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Thesaurus Word family Forms proliferations Derived forms alloproliferationangioproliferationantiproliferationautoproliferationcounterproliferationendoproliferationfibroproliferationhyperproliferationhypoproliferationimmunoproliferationlymphoproliferationmalproliferation Etymology AI details Borrowed from French prolifération. Topics Numbers & Quantity Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # proliferation **Type:** Word **Level:** C2 **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /pɹəˌlɪf.əˈɹæɪ.ʃən/ **IPA (UK):** /pɹəˌlɪf.əˈɹeɪ.ʃən/ **Frequency rank:** 45876 ## Meanings 1. A rapid increase in the number or spread of something. 2. The rapid spread of weapons, especially nuclear ones, to more countries. ## Examples - The proliferation of smartphones changed how we communicate. - The treaty aims to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. ## Derived Forms - alloproliferation - angioproliferation - antiproliferation - autoproliferation - counterproliferation - endoproliferation - fibroproliferation - hyperproliferation - hypoproliferation - immunoproliferation - lymphoproliferation - malproliferation ## Etymology Borrowed from French prolifération. ## AI Etymology Proliferation is borrowed from French prolifération. Current senses include a rapid increase in the number or spread of something and the rapid spread of weapons, especially nuclear ones, to more countries. The wider family includes derived forms such as alloproliferation, angioproliferation, antiproliferation, autoproliferation, and counterproliferation. ## Topics - Numbers & Quantity - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown