noun

dispersion

diss-PUR-zhun

Dispersion (noun) means the act of scattering things widely, or the state of being spread out over a large area. Example: “Wind is the main agent of seed dispersion for dandelions.”

noun

The act of scattering things widely, or the state of being spread out over a large area.

"Wind is the main agent of seed dispersion for dandelions."

"Modelling pollutant dispersion helps planners site chimneys."

In statistics, the extent to which values in a data set are spread out around their average, measured by quantities such as range, variance and standard deviation.

"Two classes had the same mean score but very different dispersion."

"Report a measure of dispersion alongside every average."

In physics, the splitting of light or another wave into its component wavelengths, because each travels at a slightly different speed in the medium.

"Dispersion in a glass prism is what produces the spectrum."

"Chromatic dispersion limits how fast data can travel down a long optical fibre."

How to Use Dispersion

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishHow widely something is spread out.

When to use it

Formal and technical; core in statistics, physics, ecology and environmental science.

Easily confused with

diffusion → dispersal → displacement →

Common pairings

measure of dispersion seed dispersion chromatic dispersion dispersion of light

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Wind is the main agent of seed _____ for dandelions.

Etymology

From Latin dispergere 'to scatter', formed from dis- 'apart' and spargere 'to strew'.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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scattering dispersal spread diffusion variability variance

Antonyms

concentration aggregation

Related Words

range attention focus collection spread distribution lay listening

Rhymes for dispersion

region billion ablation allusion emulsion ideation novation abortion abrasion diffusion elocution extension

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between dispersion and diffusion?

Diffusion is spreading driven by the random motion of particles moving from high to low concentration. Dispersion is broader: it is scattering by any means, including being carried by wind or currents, and in optics it means splitting light into its colours.

What are the main measures of dispersion?

Range, interquartile range, variance and standard deviation. Range is quickest but is distorted by a single outlier; standard deviation is the standard choice because it uses every value and is in the same units as the data.

Why does a prism split white light?

Because glass bends short wavelengths slightly more than long ones, so violet is refracted further than red and the colours emerge along different paths. That wavelength-dependent refraction is dispersion.

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