English
diffusion
Diffusion comes from Latin diffūsiō ‘spreading out, increase in extent or breadth’, from diffundō ‘to diffuse, scatter’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰewd- ‘to pour’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰewd-‘to pour’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰunédtireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*hundō‘to pour out’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfundō‘to pour out, shed’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdiffundō‘to diffuse, scatter’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdiffūsiō‘spreading out, increase in extent or breadth’
- Englishearliest quotation 1907diffusion
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰewd-‘to pour’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰunédtireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*hundō‘to pour out’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfundō‘to pour out, shed’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdiffundō‘to diffuse, scatter’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdiffūsiō‘spreading out, increase in extent or breadth’
- Englishearliest quotation 1907diffusion
Earliest quotation: 1907, Ronald M. Burrows, The Discoveries In Crete: “Even the false-necked vase, though it reaches its widest…”
Formed from diffuse + -ion
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰewd- ‘to pour’
yet, refuse, gut, font, fuse, effusive, 41 more
through Proto-Italic *hundō ‘to pour out’
confused, foundry, fondue, 37 more
through Latin fundō ‘to pour out, shed’
foundation, founder, fundamental, refund, confusion, funnel, confuse, confound, infusion, infuse, perfusion, profusion, effusion, 43 more
Today it means
noun The act of diffusing or dispersing something, or the property of being diffused or dispersed; dispersion.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰewd- / diffusion