Definitions for attenuate
əˈtɛn yuˌeɪt; -ɪt, -ˌeɪtat·ten·u·ate

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:4.0 / 2 votes

1. attenuate, attenuated, faded, weakenedverb

   reduced in strength

   "the faded tones of an old recording"

2. rarefy, attenuateverb

   weaken the consistency of (a chemical substance)

3. attenuateverb

   become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. attenuateverb

   To reduce in size, force, value, amount, or degree

2. attenuateverb

   To weaken

3. attenuateverb

   To rarefy

4. attenuateverb

   To reduce the virulence of a bacteria or virus

5. attenuateverb

   To reduce the amplitude of an electrical signal

6. attenuateadjective

   Gradually tapering into a petiole-like extension toward the base.

7. Etymology: From attenuāre, from attenuāt-, at- = ad-, ad- + tenuāre, tenuis.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Attenuateadjective

   Made thin, or slender.

   Etymology: from the verb.

   Vivification ever consisteth in spirits attenuate, which the cold doth congeal and coagulate. Francis Bacon, Natural History.

2. To ATTENUATEverb

   To make thin, or slender.

   Etymology: attenuo, Lat.

   The finer part belonging to the juice of grapes, being attenuated and subtilized, was changed into an ardent spirit. Boyle.

   Vinegar curd, put upon an egg, not only dissolves the shell, but also attenuates the white contained in it into a limpid water. Richard Wiseman, Surgery.

   It is of the nature of acids to dissolve or attenuate, and of alkalies to precipitate or incrassate. Isaac Newton, Opticks.

   The ingredients are digested and attenuated by heat; they are stirred and constantly agitated by winds. John Arbuthnot, on Air.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. attenuate

   In physics, attenuation (in some contexts, extinction) is the gradual loss of flux intensity through a medium. For instance, dark glasses attenuate sunlight, lead attenuates X-rays, and water and air attenuate both light and sound at variable attenuation rates. Hearing protectors help reduce acoustic flux from flowing into the ears. This phenomenon is called acoustic attenuation and is measured in decibels (dBs). In electrical engineering and telecommunications, attenuation affects the propagation of waves and signals in electrical circuits, in optical fibers, and in air. Electrical attenuators and optical attenuators are commonly manufactured components in this field.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. attenuate

   To reduce or lessen in severity, quantity, strength, or intensity. This can refer to a variety of things including sound, the power of electric signals, or even the severity of a virus or bacteria.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. Attenuateverb

   to make thin or slender, as by mechanical or chemical action upon inanimate objects, or by the effects of starvation, disease, etc., upon living bodies

2. Attenuateverb

   to make thin or less consistent; to render less viscid or dense; to rarefy. Specifically: To subtilize, as the humors of the body, or to break them into finer parts

3. Attenuateverb

   to lessen the amount, force, or value of; to make less complex; to weaken

4. Attenuateverb

   to become thin, slender, or fine; to grow less; to lessen

5. Attenuateadjective

   alt. of Attenuated

6. Etymology: [L. attenuatus, p. p. of attenuare; ad + tenuare to make thin, tenuis thin. See Thin.]

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Attenuate

   at-ten′ū-āt, v.t. to make thin or lean: to break down into finer parts: to reduce in density: reduce in strength or value, simplify.—v.i. to become thin or fine: to grow less.—n. Atten′uant, anything possessing this property.—adjs. Atten′uate, Atten′uated, made thin or slender: dilute, rarefied:—n. Attenuā′tion, process of making slender: reduction of intensity, density, or force: specially in homeopathy, the reduction of the active principles of medicines to minute doses. [L. attenuāre, -ātum—ad, to, tenuis, thin.]

Matched Categories

1. • Chemistry
   • Weaken

How to pronounce attenuate?

1. Alex

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How to say attenuate in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of attenuate in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of attenuate in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Examples of attenuate in a Sentence

1. Bruce Walker:

   On the other hand, if some viruses sneak through and infect a cell ; then the body is dependent upon T cells to eliminate the virus, and therein lies the opportunity for us to rethink what we're doing in terms of vaccination -- because those T cells, at least theoretically, could be highly potent and could attenuate the disease. In other words, they wouldn't protect against infection, but they might make infections so asymptomatic that you would not notice it yourself and, in fact, you would never have enough virus in your body to transmit it to somebody else. That's the hypothesis.

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References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=attenuate
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Attenuate
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=attenuate
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attenuate
5. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
6. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attenuate
7. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=attenuate