diffusion
NounWordNet 3.0
Noun (4)
- (physics) the process in which there is movement of a substance from an area of high concentration of that substance to an area of lower concentration
- the spread of social institutions (and myths and skills) from one society to another
- the property of being diffused or dispersedSynonyms: dissemination
- the act of dispersing or diffusing something“the dispersion of the troops”“the diffusion of knowledge”Synonyms: dispersiondispersaldissemination
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Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Dif·fu′sion noun
Origin: L. diffusio: cf. F. diffusion.
1. The act of diffusing, or the state of being diffused; a spreading; extension; dissemination; circulation; dispersion.
A diffusion of knowledge which has undermined superstition.— Edmund Burke
2. Physiology The act of passing by osmosis through animal membranes, as in the distribution of poisons, gases, etc., through the body. Unlike absorption, diffusion may go on after death, that is, after the blood ceases to circulate.
Synonyms: Extension; spread; propagation; circulation; expansion; dispersion.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54