Diffuse vs Proliferate - What's the difference?
diffuse | proliferate |
To spread over or through as in air, water, or other matter, especially by fluid motion or passive means.
* Whewell
To be spread over or through as in air, water, or other matter, especially by fluid motion or passive means.
Everywhere or throughout everything; not focused or concentrated.
To increase in number or spread rapidly.
* {{quote-book, year=2006, author=
, title=Internal Combustion
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As verbs the difference between diffuse and proliferate
is that diffuse is to spread over or through as in air, water, or other matter, especially by fluid motion or passive means while proliferate is to increase in number or spread rapidly.As an adjective diffuse
is everywhere or throughout everything; not focused or concentrated.diffuse
English
Etymology 1
(etyl), from (etyl) diffusus, past participle ofVerb
(diffus)- We find this knowledge diffused among all civilized nations.
- Food coloring diffuses in water.
- The riot diffused quite suddenly.
Derived terms
* diffuserEtymology 2
(etyl) diffususAdjective
(en adjective)- Such a diffuse effort is unlikely to produce good results.
Derived terms
* diffuselyproliferate
English
Verb
(proliferat)- The flowers proliferated rapidly all spring.
citation, passage=But through the oligopoly, charcoal fuel proliferated throughout London's trades and industries. By the 1200s, brewers and bakers, tilemakers, glassblowers, pottery producers, and a range of other craftsmen all became hour-to-hour consumers of charcoal.}}