dispersion

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UK/dɪˈspɜːʒən/Canada, US/dɪˈspɝʒən/New Zealand/dəˈspøːʒən/

noun

The state of being dispersed.

Similar
dispersednessdispersalscatteringdistributiondisseminationdiffusion
OriginMiddle English dispersioun ← Old French dispersion ← Latin dispersiō →
CommonScrabble 13
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Meanings

noundispersion (countable and uncountable, plural dispersions)

plural dispersions

  1. countableuncountableThe state of being dispersed.

    Synonyms: dispersedness

  2. countableuncountableA process of dispersing.

    Synonyms: dispersal

  3. countableuncountableThe degree of scatter of data.
  4. countableuncountablenatural sciencesThe separation of waves of different frequency in space or time; the amount of such separation.
  5. countableuncountablemedicineThe removal of inflammation.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe state of being dispersed.

Similar
dispersedness

nounA process of dispersing.

Similar
dispersal

More synonyms by meaning

nounspreading widely or driving off

Similar
scattering
Broader
spreadspreading

nounthe spatial or geographic property of being scattered about over a range, area, or volume

Similar
distribution
Broader
spacingspatial arrangement

nounthe act of dispersing or diffusing something

Similar
dispersaldisseminationdiffusion
Broader
spreadspreading
Also see
diffusiondispersaldisseminationdistributionnonassemblagescatteringsprinklingstrewing

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latindispersiō
  2. Old Frenchdispersion
  3. Middle Englishdispersioun
  4. Englishdispersion

From disperse + -ion, from Middle English dispersioun, from Old French dispersion, from Latin dispersiō.

More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic تَشَتُّت
  • تَشَتُّت (tašattut)degree of scatter of data
Bulgarian разхвърляност, разпиляност
  • разхвърляност (razhvărljanost)state
  • разпиляност (razpiljanost)state
  • разпръскване (razprăskvane)process
  • разпиляване (razpiljavane)process
  • разсейване (razsejvane)degree of scatter of data
  • разсейване (razsejvane)optics: separation of visible light to its component frequencies
Czech disperze
  • disperzeprocess
Danish spredning, spredning
  • spredningstate
  • spredningprocess
  • dispersionoptics: separation of visible light to its component frequencies
  • farvespredningoptics: separation of visible light to its component frequencies
Finnish hajaannus, hajonta
  • hajaannusstate
  • hajontaprocess
  • dispersiooptics: separation of visible light to its component frequencies
  • hajottaminenoptics: separation of visible light to its component frequencies
French dispersion, dispersion
  • dispersionstate
  • dispersionprocess
  • dispersiondegree of scatter of data
  • dispersionoptics: separation of visible light to its component frequencies
German Verteilung
  • Verteilungstate
Greek διασπορά, σκόρπισμα
  • διασπορά (diasporá)state
  • σκόρπισμα (skórpisma)state
  • διασπορά (diasporá)process
  • σκόρπισμα (skórpisma)process
Norwegian Bokmål dispersjon
  • dispersjonoptics: separation of visible light to its component frequencies
Portuguese dispersão, dispersão
  • dispersãostate
  • dispersãoprocess
  • dispersãodegree of scatter of data
Romanian dispersare
  • dispersareprocess
Russian рассе́янность, разбросанность
  • рассе́янность (rasséjannostʹ)state
  • разбросанность (razbrosannostʹ)state
  • рассеивание (rasseivanije)process
  • дисперсия (dispersija)optics: separation of visible light to its component frequencies
Swedish spridning
  • spridningdegree of scatter of data
Tagalog pagkalat, pagkalat
  • pagkalatstate
  • pagkalatprocess
  • kakalatandegree of scatter of data
  • pagkalatoptics: separation of visible light to its component frequencies
Ukrainian розсі́яність
  • розсі́яність (rozsíjanistʹ)state

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with dispersion

versionconversionPersiandiversionsubversionexcursionimmersionrecursionreversionperversionincursionintroversioncircumversionretroversionventroversion
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

dispersion. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dispersion

MLA

“dispersion.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dispersion. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dispersion,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dispersion.

Source: dispersion on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.