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
1
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."
2
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."
3
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 notesIn 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
Common pairings
measure of dispersion
seed dispersion
chromatic dispersion
dispersion of light
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like dispersion.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
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'.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for dispersion
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for dispersion →
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.
What is the meaning of dispersion?
"dispersion" (noun) means the act of scattering things widely, or the state of being spread out over a large area.
