Main Entry: dense

Pronunciation: \ˈden(t)s\

Function: adjective

Inflected Form(s): dens·er; dens·est

Etymology: Latin densus; akin to Greek dasys thick with hair or leaves

Date: 15th century

1 a : marked by compactness or crowding together of parts <dense vegetation> <dense traffic> b : having a high mass per unit volume <carbon dioxide is a dense gas>
2 a : slow to understand : stupid, thickheaded <was too dense to get the joke> b : extreme <dense ignorance>
3 : having between any two elements at least one element <the set of rational numbers is dense>
4 : demanding concentration to follow or comprehend <dense prose>
5 : having high or relatively high opacity <a dense fog> <a dense photographic negative>

synonyms see stupid

— dense·ly adverb

— dense·ness \ˈden(t)-snəs\ noun