diffusion
gb/dɪfjˈuʒən/ us/dɪfjˈuʒən/
B2
English
~ 9100
elterjedés, diffúzió, passzív diffúzió, szórás, szóródás
NOUN
C1
FORMAL
1
elterjedés
B1
diffúzió
C1
Usage pattern:
the diffusion of [something] among [people/places]
The rapid diffusion of smartphones has changed how people communicate around the world.
Az okostelefonok gyors elterjedése megváltoztatta, ahogyan az emberek világszerte kommunikálnak.
Government policy played an important role in the diffusion of renewable energy technologies.
A kormányzati politika fontos szerepet játszott a megújuló energiát hasznosító technológiák elterjedésében.
Social media has accelerated the diffusion of political ideas across national borders.
The report examines the diffusion of Western fashion trends into Asian markets.
Researchers are studying the diffusion of health information through online communities.
Learner examples
The diffusion of the internet has made it easy to find news.
Az internet elterjedése megkönnyítette a hírek megtalálását.
They talked about the diffusion of new ideas in small towns.
Az új eszmék kisvárosokban való elterjedéséről beszéltek.
The diffusion of this app was very fast in our country.
The book explains the diffusion of modern music across the world.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "diffusion" with the verb or adjective "diffuse". "Diffusion" is a noun for the process of spreading, while "to diffuse" is the action and "diffuse" as an adjective means "spread out" or "not clear". Learners may also overuse "diffusion" in everyday speech where simple words like "spread" or "growth" are more natural.
Meaning
gradual spread of ideas or things
Collocations
diffusion of innovation
|diffusion of responsibility
|rapid diffusion
|global diffusion
|cultural diffusion
|diffusion process
Synonyms
spread (More general and common; less formal and not limited to technical or academic contexts.)
Antonyms
containment (Focuses on keeping something from spreading, the opposite of allowing diffusion.)
Themes
society
|technology
|business
|communication
|education
Definition
The slow way that ideas, products, or information move and spread to more and more people or places.
The slow and widespread spreading of something, such as ideas, practices, products, or information, through a population or across a region.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
2
diffúzió
C1
Usage pattern:
diffusion of [particles/substance] in [medium]
The smell of perfume spreading through a room is a simple example of gas diffusion.
A parfüm illatának szétterjedése a szobában egyszerű példa a gázdiffúzióra.
Temperature has a strong effect on the rate of diffusion of molecules in a liquid.
A hőmérséklet nagy hatással van a molekulák folyadékbeli diffúziójának sebességére.
According to Fick's law, the flux is proportional to the concentration gradient driving diffusion.
In this experiment we measure the diffusion of dye molecules through a gel.
Oxygen diffusion in the atmosphere is driven by random molecular motion.
Learner examples
Diffusion makes food color slowly spread in water.
A diffúzió hatására az ételfesték lassan szétterjed a vízben.
Heat speeds up the diffusion of gas in the air.
A hő felgyorsítja a gázok diffúzióját a levegőben.
We watched the diffusion of ink in a glass of water.
Diffusion continues until the particles are spread evenly.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "diffusion" with "osmosis". Osmosis is a special case of diffusion that involves water moving through a semi-permeable membrane, while diffusion is a more general process for any particles. Another mistake is using "diffusion" as a verb (e.g., *"the gas diffusions"*); the correct verb is "diffuse".
Meaning
particle mixing from high to low concentration
Collocations
molecular diffusion
|gas diffusion
|rate of diffusion
|diffusion coefficient
|diffusion in water
|Fickian diffusion
Synonyms
dispersion (Also refers to particles spreading out, but can be broader and is used in other scientific contexts such as optics.)
Antonyms
concentration (As a process, concentrating brings particles together into a smaller space, which is the opposite of diffusion spreading them out.)
Themes
science
|chemistry
|physics
Definition
In science, the way tiny particles move from a place where there are many of them to a place where there are fewer of them, until they are spread out evenly.
In physics and chemistry, the passive movement of particles, such as atoms or molecules, from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration as a result of random thermal motion.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
3
diffúzió
C1
Usage pattern:
diffusion of [substance] across/through [membrane/tissue]
Oxygen enters the blood in the lungs by diffusion across the thin alveolar walls.
Az oxigén a tüdőben diffúzióval, a tüdőléghólyagocskák vékony falán keresztül jut be a vérbe.
Simple diffusion allows small nonpolar molecules to cross the cell membrane without assistance.
Az egyszerű diffúzió lehetővé teszi, hogy a kisméretű apoláris molekulák segítség nélkül átjussanak a sejtmembránon.
Facilitated diffusion uses membrane proteins to help molecules move down their concentration gradient.
In many tissues, gas exchange depends entirely on diffusion rather than active transport.
The rate of diffusion across the membrane increases with a larger surface area.
Learner examples
Oxygen moves into our blood by diffusion in the lungs.
Az oxigén diffúzióval jut be a vérünkbe a tüdőben.
Small molecules can cross the cell membrane by diffusion.
A kis molekulák diffúzióval átjuthatnak a sejtmembránon.
No energy is needed for diffusion across the cell wall.
Facilitated diffusion uses special proteins in the membrane.
Common mistake:
Learners may treat "diffusion" and "osmosis" as the same in biology, but osmosis specifically refers to water movement. Another common error is saying *"active diffusion"* for movement that uses energy; the correct term is "active transport", while diffusion itself is always passive.
Meaning
movement across membranes in biology
Collocations
diffusion across the membrane
|oxygen diffusion
|carbon dioxide diffusion
|simple diffusion
|facilitated diffusion
|gas exchange by diffusion
Synonyms
passive transport (A broader biological term that includes diffusion and osmosis; diffusion is one type of passive transport.)
Antonyms
active transport (The biological process where substances move against their concentration gradient using energy, the opposite of passive diffusion.)
Themes
biology
|medicine
|science
|body
Definition
In biology, the way small molecules move through or across cell membranes from where there are many of them to where there are fewer, without using energy.
In biology, the passive movement of molecules, such as gases or small solutes, across cell membranes from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration without the use of cellular energy.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
4
Usage pattern:
diffusion of [light/sound] through [material/surface]
We used a large white sheet for diffusion of the light to create softer shadows.
Egy nagy fehér lepedőt használtunk a fény szórására, hogy lágyabb árnyékokat hozzunk létre.
The cinematographer added more diffusion to reduce the harshness of the midday sun.
Az operatőr még jobban szórta a fényt, hogy csökkentse a déli napfény keménységét.
Acoustic panels help with diffusion of sound, making the room feel more natural.
This lens creates strong diffusion, giving the image a dreamy, glowing look.
Proper diffusion is essential for flattering portrait lighting in the studio.
Learner examples
Clouds provide natural diffusion of sunlight.
A felhők természetes módon szórják a napfényt.
The photographer used diffusion to soften the light on her face.
A fotós a fény szórásával lágyította az arcára eső fényt.
A thin white cloth can give good diffusion for video lights.
Diffusion of sound made the music feel smoother in the room.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "diffusion" (a noun) with "diffuser" (a device that creates diffusion). Another mistake is using "diffusion" in place of common everyday words like "soft light" or "indirect light" in non-technical conversations.
Meaning
scattering to soften light or sound
Collocations
soft light diffusion
|diffusion panel
|diffusion filter
|diffusion material
|sound diffusion
|diffusion screen
Synonyms
softening (A more general term; it describes the effect but not the specific technical process of scattering light or sound.)
Antonyms
focusing (Bringing light or sound into a narrow, intense beam, which is the opposite of spreading it out through diffusion.)
Themes
art
|technology
|media
|arts_entertainment
Definition
In photography and sound, the way light or sound is spread and made softer by passing through or bouncing off something.
In photography, film, lighting, and acoustics, the scattering of light or sound waves so that they are spread more evenly, producing a softer, less direct effect.
Grammar
Dictionary form
diffusion
IPA
GB/dɪfjˈuʒən/
US/dɪfjˈuʒən/
Syllables & stress
dif - fu - sion (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (fu)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: diffusion
- Plural: diffusion, diffusions
Word family
Forms
diffusions
noun
Core family
diffuse
verb C1
Related words
diffuser
noun
Advanced or less common
diffusive
adjective
diffusely
adverb
Expressions
cultural diffusion
1/kˈʌlt͡ʃɚəl dɪfjˈuʒən/
fixed phrase
spread of cultural elements
The way culture, such as food, music, or beliefs, moves from one group of people or country to another.
Examples
- Fast travel and the internet have increased cultural diffusion around the world.
- Sushi in Western countries is a clear example of cultural diffusion.
- The course explores cultural diffusion along ancient trade routes.
diffusion of innovation
1/dɪfjˈuʒən əv ˌɪnəvˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
spread of new ideas or technologies
The way a new idea or product slowly becomes known and used by more and more people.
Examples
- The diffusion of innovation model explains why some people adopt new technology earlier than others.
- Marketing teams study the diffusion of innovation to plan product launches.
- Social networks play a big role in the diffusion of innovation today.
diffusion of responsibility
1/dɪfjˈuʒən əv ɹispˌɑnsɪbˈɪləti/
fixed phrase
less personal responsibility in groups
When people in a group each feel less responsible for something because they think the others will take care of it.
Examples
- In large teams, diffusion of responsibility can lead to important tasks being ignored.
- The bystander effect is often explained by diffusion of responsibility.
- Clear roles can help prevent diffusion of responsibility in group projects.
facilitated diffusion
1/fəsˈɪlɪtˌeɪtɪd dɪfjˈuʒən/
fixed phrase
technical
protein-aided diffusion across membranes
In biology, movement of molecules across a cell membrane from high to low concentration with the help of special proteins, but without using energy.
Examples
- Glucose often enters cells by facilitated diffusion through carrier proteins.
- Facilitated diffusion is specific, because each protein helps only certain molecules.
- Unlike active transport, facilitated diffusion does not require ATP.
gas diffusion
1/ɡˈæs dɪfjˈuʒən/
fixed phrase
technical
mixing of gases by diffusion
The way different gases slowly mix together because their molecules move and spread out.
Examples
- Gas diffusion causes the smell of smoke to spread through the building.
- The experiment demonstrates gas diffusion in a closed container.
- Gas diffusion in the lungs is essential for breathing.
light diffusion
1/lˈaɪt dɪfjˈuʒən/
fixed phrase
technical
soft, spread-out light
The way light is spread and made softer when it passes through or reflects off a material.
Examples
- A softbox is designed for even light diffusion in studio photography.
- Clouds provide natural light diffusion on overcast days.
- We added fabric to improve light diffusion on the film set.
passive diffusion
1/pˈæsɪv dɪfjˈuʒən/
fixed phrase
technical
diffusion without energy use
Movement of molecules from high to low concentration that happens naturally and does not need energy from the cell.
Examples
- Many drugs enter cells by passive diffusion through the lipid bilayer.
- Passive diffusion continues until the concentrations on both sides are equal.
- Temperature can greatly influence the rate of passive diffusion.
simple diffusion
1/sˈɪmpəl dɪfjˈuʒən/
fixed phrase
technical
direct diffusion through membranes
In biology, movement of small molecules across a cell membrane from high to low concentration, without help from proteins and without using energy.
Examples
- Small nonpolar molecules like oxygen cross the membrane by simple diffusion.
- Simple diffusion does not require any special transport proteins.
- The rate of simple diffusion depends on the concentration gradient.