dis-, di-, dif-
(Latin: separation, apart, asunder; removal, away, from; negation, deprivation, undoing, reversal, utterly, completely; in different directions)
The meaning of dis- varies with different words; dif-, assimilated form of dis- before f; di-, form of dis- before b, d, g, l, m, n, r, and v.
diffidence
1. Lacking confidence or faith; mistrust, distrust, misgiving, doubt; timid, shy, unsure, and self-effacing.
2. Distrust of oneself; lacking confidence in one’s own ability, worth, or fitness; modesty, shyness of disposition.
2. Distrust of oneself; lacking confidence in one’s own ability, worth, or fitness; modesty, shyness of disposition.
A diffident man is one who has finally discovered that there are some problems for which no one has a solution. It seems that when someone thinks he knows all the solutions to a problem, some fool comes along and asks the wrong questions.
diffident
1. Lacking self-confidence; distrustful of oneself.
2. Not confident in disposition; timid, shy, modest, bashful.
2. Not confident in disposition; timid, shy, modest, bashful.
diffidently
In a diffident manner or having distrust in oneself.
diffluent
1. Tending to flow off or away.
2. Easily dissolving.
3. Flowing away on all sides; not fixed.
2. Easily dissolving.
3. Flowing away on all sides; not fixed.
difform
difformity
diffract (verb), diffracts; diffracted; diffracting
To undergo or cause to undergo the bending and scattering of wavelengths of light or other radiation as the radiation passes around obstacles or through narrow slits.
1. The bending or spreading out of waves; such as, sound or light, as they pass around the edge of an obstacle or through a narrow opening: "The breaking up of an electromagnetic wave as it passes a geometric structure; such as, a slit, followed by reconstruction of the wave by reformation."
2. Any redistribution in space of the intensity of waves that results from the presence of an object causing variations of either the amplitude or phase of the waves: "Diffraction is a phenomenon of all electromagnetic radiation, including radio waves; microwaves; infrared, visible, and ultraviolet light; and X-rays."
3. Etymology: from French diffraction or directly from Modern Latin diffractionem, diffractio, a noun of action from the past participle stem of Latin diffringere, "to break in pieces"; from dis-, "apart" + frangere, "to break".
2. Any redistribution in space of the intensity of waves that results from the presence of an object causing variations of either the amplitude or phase of the waves: "Diffraction is a phenomenon of all electromagnetic radiation, including radio waves; microwaves; infrared, visible, and ultraviolet light; and X-rays."
3. Etymology: from French diffraction or directly from Modern Latin diffractionem, diffractio, a noun of action from the past participle stem of Latin diffringere, "to break in pieces"; from dis-, "apart" + frangere, "to break".
diffractive (adjective)
That which undergoes or causes something to undergo diffraction which is the process by which a beam of light or other system of waves is spread out as a result of passing through a narrow aperture or across an edge, typically accompanied by interference between the wave forms that are produced.
diffractively (adverb)
A reference to the bending of waves; especially, sound and light waves, around obstacles in their path.
diffuse, diffuses, diffused, diffusing (verb forms)
1. To scatter something over an area, or to become scattered over an area.
2. To make something, especially light, less bright or intense, or become less bright or intense.
2. To make something, especially light, less bright or intense, or become less bright or intense.
diffusedly (adverb)
With wide dispersion, spread abroad, flowing, or being loose.
diffusedness (noun)
The state or condition of being widely spread.
diffusely (adverb)
1. Becoming widely spread; such as, through a membrane or fluid.
2. Characterized by not being definitely limited or localized.
2. Characterized by not being definitely limited or localized.
diffuser (s), diffusers (pl) (noun forms)
1. A piece of translucent or reflective material fixed to a light source; such as, a lamp in order to soften or to spread the light over a wide area.
2. A cloth screen, piece of frosted glass, or other material that is used to soften the brightness of the lighting in photography or cinematography.
3. A device; for example, a cone or wedge, fixed inside a loudspeaker to diffuse sound waves.
4. A flow passage in a wind tunnel that decelerates a stream of gas or liquid from a high to a low velocity.
2. A cloth screen, piece of frosted glass, or other material that is used to soften the brightness of the lighting in photography or cinematography.
3. A device; for example, a cone or wedge, fixed inside a loudspeaker to diffuse sound waves.
4. A flow passage in a wind tunnel that decelerates a stream of gas or liquid from a high to a low velocity.
