attenuation

See also: atténuation

English

Etymology

From Middle English attenuacioun, a borrowing from Latin attenuātiō (“a diminishing”). Equivalent to attenuate +‎ -ion.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

Noun

attenuation (countable and uncountable, plural attenuations)

1. A gradual diminishing of strength.
2. (physics) A reduction in the level of some property with distance, especially the amplitude of a wave or the strength of a signal.
3. (biology) A weakening in the virulence of a pathogen or other microorganism.
4. (botany) The tapering of a leaf etc to a fine point.
5. (engineering) A fabrication process in which a material is stretched out into a thin shape.
6. (homeopathy) The reduction of the active principles of medicines to minute doses.
7. (brewing) The proportion of sugar that is converted to ethanol by a yeast.

Derived terms

• diattenuation
• disattenuation
• hyperattenuation
• hypoattenuation
• isoattenuation
• neuroattenuation
• nonattenuation
• space attenuation
• underattenuation
• vasoattenuation

 

Related terms

• attenuate
• tenuous
• thin

Translations

gradual diminishing in the strength

• Afrikaans: verswakking
• Bulgarian: намаляване (bg) (namaljavane), отслабване (bg) (otslabvane)
• Danish: svækkelse c
• Finnish: vaimentuminen, heikkeneminen (fi)
• French: atténuation (fr) f
• Georgian: მილევა (mileva)
• German: Verminderung (de) f
• Irish: caolú m
• Italian: attenuazione (it) f
• Macedonian: намалу́вање n (namalúvanje), ослабу́вање n (oslabúvanje)
• Polish: tłumienie (pl) n
• Romanian: atenuare (ro), diminuare (ro)
• Russian: ослабле́ние (ru) n (oslablénije)
• Spanish: atenuación (es) f
• Turkish: sönüm (tr)

physics: reduction in the level of some property with distance

• Bulgarian: затихване (zatihvane)
• Finnish: vaimentuminen, vaimennus
• Georgian: მილევა (mileva)
• German: Attenuation (de) f, Dämpfung (de) f
• Macedonian: снижу́вање n (snižúvanje), смалу́вање n (smalúvanje)
• Portuguese: atenuação (pt) f
• Russian: затуха́ние (ru) n (zatuxánije), аттенюа́ция f (attɛnjuácija)

biology: weakening, in the virulence

• Finnish: heikkeneminen (fi)
• German: Attenuierung f, Abschwächung (de) f
• Polish: atenuacja f

botany: tapering to a fine point

• Finnish: suippeneminen

engineering: fabrication process in which a material is stretched out

• Finnish: vetäminen (fi)

homeopathy: reduction of the active principles of medicines

• Finnish: laimentaminen (fi), laimennus (fi)