adj
Meaning 1
Slender, thin.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
attenuate
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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UK, US: /əˈtɛn.juˌeɪt/
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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Australian: /əˈten.jʉˌæɪt/
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CMU ARPABET: AH0 T EH1 N Y UW0 EY2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
adj
Meaning 2
Rarefied, thin, refined.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 3
Gradually tapering into a petiole-like extension toward the base.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 4
To reduce in size, force, value, amount, or degree.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 5
To make thinner, as by physically reshaping, starving, or decaying.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 6
To become thin or fine; to grow less.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 7
To weaken.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 8
To rarefy.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 9
To reduce the virulence of a bacterium or virus.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Topics: medicine, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 10
To reduce the amplitude of an electrical, radio, or optical signal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Topics: business, electrical-engineering, electricity, electromagnetism, electronics, energy, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 11
Of a beer, to become less dense as a result of the conversion of sugar to alcohol.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: beverages, brewing, business, food, lifestyle, manufacturing
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adjective satellite
Meaning 12
reduced in strength
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- the faded tones of an old recording
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: attenuated, faded, weakened
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 13
become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: weaken
Narrower terms: refine
verb
Meaning 14
weaken the consistency of (a chemical substance)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: rarefy
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: weaken
History
Etymology
The verb is first attested in 1530, the adjective in 1626; borrowed from Latin attenuātus, the perfect passive participle of attenuō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from ad- (“to, towards, at”) + tenuo (“to make thin”), itself from tenuis (“thin”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix).
Across languages
Translations
43 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Finnish: suippotyvinen — botany: tapering towards the base
- Bulgarian: намалявам (namaljavam) — To reduce
- Catalan: atenuar — To reduce
- Esperanto: atenui — To reduce
- French: atténuer — To reduce
- Georgian: მილევა (mileva) — To reduce
- German: verringern — To reduce
- German: vermindern — To reduce
- German: abschwächen — To reduce
- German: reduzieren — To reduce
- German: abmagern — To reduce
- German: dämpfen — To reduce
- German: verkleinern — To reduce
- Romanian: atenua — To reduce
- Serbo-Croatian: smanjiti — To reduce
- Spanish: atenuar — To reduce
- Swedish: minska — To reduce
- Swedish: förminska — To reduce
- Swedish: försvaga — To reduce
- Bulgarian: отслабвам (otslabvam) — To weaken
- Catalan: atenuar — To weaken
- Dutch: verzwakken — To weaken
- Georgian: მილევა (mileva) — To weaken
- German: abschwächen — To weaken
- German: mildern — To weaken
- German: abmildern — To weaken
- German: vermindern — To weaken
- German: dämpfen — To weaken
- German: schwächen — To weaken
- German: schwächer werden — To weaken
- Norwegian: svekke — To weaken
- Russian: ослабля́ть (oslabljátʹ) — To weaken
- Serbo-Croatian: oslabiti — To weaken
- Spanish: atenuar — To weaken
- Swedish: försvaga — To weaken
- Bulgarian: разреждам (razreždam) — To rarefy — see also rarefy
- German: verdünnen — To rarefy — see also rarefy
- German: evakuieren — To rarefy — see also rarefy
- Serbo-Croatian: razrijediti — To rarefy — see also rarefy
- Serbo-Croatian: prorijediti — To rarefy — see also rarefy
- Ukrainian: розрі́джувати (rozrídžuvaty) — To rarefy — see also rarefy
- Ukrainian: розріди́ти (rozridýty) — To rarefy — see also rarefy
- Spanish: atenuarse — to become thin or fine; to grow less
Real reading context