dispersion

noun

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dis·per·sion | \ di-ˈspər-zhən

, -shən \

Definition of dispersion

1 capitalized, Judaism : diaspora sense 1b

2 : the act or process of dispersing : the state of being dispersed crowd dispersion

3 mathematics : the scattering of the values of a frequency distribution from an average

4 physics : the separation of light into colors by refraction or diffraction with formation of a spectrum also : the separation of radiation (see radiation sense 2) into components in accordance with some varying characteristic (such as energy)

5 chemistry

a : a dispersed (see disperse sense 2c) substance

b : a system (see system sense 1a(2)) consisting of a dispersed substance and the medium in which it is dispersed : colloid sense 2b

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Examples of dispersion in a Sentence

the dispersion of energy from a source

Recent Examples on the Web Perhaps most impressive though is the heat dispersion system, which Panasonic claims allows for unlimited recording time. — Gear Team, Wired, "CES 2021 Highlights: 79 Gadgets and Glimpses Into the Future," 14 Jan. 2021 The first step is known as dispersion; the algorithm directs the robots to keep away from one another. — Matt Simon, Wired, "These Adorable Fish Robots Form Schools Like the Real Thing," 13 Jan. 2021 The bigger the space, the better dispersion of air, probably the better air-conditioning system. — Steve Knopper, Billboard, "Event Designer Bobby Garza in Austin, in a Pandemic: Can't 'Flip a Switch' and Go Back to Normal," 6 Jan. 2021 By imitating the shape, structure and dispersion of the ultra-black fish’s melanosomes, materials scientists may be able to create artificial ultra-black pigment. — Rachael Lallensack, Smithsonian Magazine, "Ten Scientific Discoveries From 2020 that May Lead to New Inventions," 28 Dec. 2020 The testing effort drew a map of infection in San Francisco; that map illuminated not just the physical location of the virus but the socioeconomic dynamics of its dispersion. — Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, "What the San Francisco Bay Area Can Teach Us About Fighting a Pandemic," 4 Jan. 2021 There are several arresting visual set pieces, including a blizzard white-out that feels like the actual end of the world and a memorable lesson on the physics of blood dispersion in zero gravity. — Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, "George Clooney shoots for the moon in moody space thriller The Midnight Sky: Review," 9 Dec. 2020 What is obvious now should have been obvious before: the geographical dispersion of the arts and the economic vulnerability of so many people in the arts field. — Washington Post, "Transformed by crisis, arts criticism may never be the same. And that’s a good thing.," 26 Nov. 2020 It's built on a 34mm one-piece tube and features a 110 MOA total elevation adjustment and a crisp view through extra-low dispersion lenses. — Field & Stream, "The Deer Hunter’s Holiday Gift Guide," 23 Nov. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dispersion.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

11 Feb 2021

Cite this Entry

“Dispersion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dispersion. Accessed 2 Mar. 2021.

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More Definitions for dispersion

dispersion

noun

dis·per·sion | \ dis-ˈpər-zhən, -shən

Medical Definition of dispersion

1 : the act or process of dispersing : the state of being dispersed

2 : the separation of light into colors by refraction or diffraction with formation of a spectrum also : the separation of radiation into components in accordance with some varying characteristic (as energy)

3a : a dispersed substance

b : a system consisting of a dispersed substance and the medium in which it is dispersed : colloid sense 2b

— called also disperse system

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