diffusion
gb/dɪfjˈuʒən/ us/dɪfjˈuʒən/
B2
Anglais
~ 9100
Sens
0 sens
Nom
formal
C1
event
1
gradual spread of ideas or things
The slow way that ideas, products, or information move and spread to more and more people or places.
Schéma d’usage :
the diffusion of [something] among [people/places]
Erreur fréquente :
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.
Synonymes
spread (More general and common; less formal and not limited to technical or academic contexts.)
Antonymes
containment (Focuses on keeping something from spreading, the opposite of allowing diffusion.)
Collocations
diffusion of innovation
|diffusion of responsibility
|rapid diffusion
|global diffusion
|cultural diffusion
|diffusion process
Thèmes
society
|technology
|business
|communication
|education
Exemples
- The rapid diffusion of smartphones has changed how people communicate around the world.
- Government policy played an important role in the diffusion of renewable energy technologies.
- 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.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The diffusion of the internet has made it easy to find news.
- They talked about the diffusion of new ideas in small towns.
- The diffusion of this app was very fast in our country.
- The book explains the diffusion of modern music across the world.
Nom
technical
B2
event
2
particle mixing from high to low concentration
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.
Schéma d’usage :
diffusion of [particles/substance] in [medium]
Erreur fréquente :
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".
Synonymes
dispersion (Also refers to particles spreading out, but can be broader and is used in other scientific contexts such as optics.)
Antonymes
concentration (As a process, concentrating brings particles together into a smaller space, which is the opposite of diffusion spreading them out.)
Collocations
molecular diffusion
|gas diffusion
|rate of diffusion
|diffusion coefficient
|diffusion in water
|Fickian diffusion
Thèmes
science
|chemistry
|physics
Exemples
- The smell of perfume spreading through a room is a simple example of gas diffusion.
- Temperature has a strong effect on the rate of diffusion of molecules in a liquid.
- 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.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Diffusion makes food color slowly spread in water.
- Heat speeds up the diffusion of gas in the air.
- We watched the diffusion of ink in a glass of water.
- Diffusion continues until the particles are spread evenly.
Nom
technical
B2
event
3
movement across membranes in biology
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.
Schéma d’usage :
diffusion of [substance] across/through [membrane/tissue]
Erreur fréquente :
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.
Synonymes
passive transport (A broader biological term that includes diffusion and osmosis; diffusion is one type of passive transport.)
Antonymes
active transport (The biological process where substances move against their concentration gradient using energy, the opposite of passive diffusion.)
Collocations
diffusion across the membrane
|oxygen diffusion
|carbon dioxide diffusion
|simple diffusion
|facilitated diffusion
|gas exchange by diffusion
Thèmes
biology
|medicine
|science
|body
Exemples
- Oxygen enters the blood in the lungs by diffusion across the thin alveolar walls.
- Simple diffusion allows small nonpolar molecules to cross the cell membrane without assistance.
- 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.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Oxygen moves into our blood by diffusion in the lungs.
- Small molecules can cross the cell membrane by diffusion.
- No energy is needed for diffusion across the cell wall.
- Facilitated diffusion uses special proteins in the membrane.
Nom
technical
B2
event
4
scattering to soften light or sound
In photography and sound, the way light or sound is spread and made softer by passing through or bouncing off something.
Schéma d’usage :
diffusion of [light/sound] through [material/surface]
Erreur fréquente :
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.
Synonymes
softening (A more general term; it describes the effect but not the specific technical process of scattering light or sound.)
Antonymes
focusing (Bringing light or sound into a narrow, intense beam, which is the opposite of spreading it out through diffusion.)
Collocations
soft light diffusion
|diffusion panel
|diffusion filter
|diffusion material
|sound diffusion
|diffusion screen
Thèmes
art
|technology
|media
|arts_entertainment
Exemples
- We used a large white sheet for diffusion of the light to create softer shadows.
- The cinematographer added more diffusion to reduce the harshness of the midday sun.
- 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.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Clouds provide natural diffusion of sunlight.
- The photographer used diffusion to soften the light on her face.
- A thin white cloth can give good diffusion for video lights.
- Diffusion of sound made the music feel smoother in the room.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
diffusion
API
GB/dɪfjˈuʒən/
US/dɪfjˈuʒən/
Syllabes et accentuation
dif - fu - sion (3 syllabes)
Stress on 2nd syllable (fu)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: diffusion
- Plural: diffusion, diffusions
Famille de mots
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.
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples
- 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.