concentration

The word “concentration” means the ability to focus one's attention on a single task. In plain terms, either mental focus, the strength/density of a substance in a mixture, or (in US education) a specialized area of study.

“Concentration” is pronounced kon-suhn-TRAY-shuhn (/ˌkɑn.sənˈtɹeɪ.ʃən/ in IPA).

Here is “concentration” used in a sentence: “The exam demands total concentration.”

“Concentration” is a noun.

The word “concentration” comes from New Latin. From New Latin concentrātiō, describing the act of bringing something to a single point — built from concentrate plus -ion.

“Concentration” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Concentration” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the ability to focus one's attention on a single task.

Concentration is the ability to focus one's attention on a single task, sustaining it over time. Attention is the broader mental act of noticing or directing awareness, which may be brief, while concentration is attention kept steadily on one thing.

In the sense of mental effort, concentration and focus are close synonyms, both meaning the ability to direct attention to a single task. 'Concentration' tends to stress the sustained effort involved, while 'focus' can also mean the specific point of that attention.

In the mental sense, 'concentration' pairs with 'break someone's concentration,' 'lose concentration,' and 'deep concentration.' In the scientific sense, it appears in phrases like 'high concentration' and 'concentration of a solution.'