attenuate etymology

Etymology

  • Late Latin: attenuare, from Latin: attenuis "thin, slender, slight"
  • From Proto-Indo-European: *tenu- ("thin, stretched")

Meaning

  • To make or become less strong, intense, or pronounced
  • To weaken or diminish

Origin

The word attenuate was first used in English in the late 14th century. It is derived from the Late Latin word attenuare, which in turn is derived from the Latin adjective attenuis. Attenuis means "thin, slender, slight," and is related to the Proto-Indo-European root *tenu-, which also means "thin, stretched."

The word attenuate originally meant "to make thin or slender." However, over time, its meaning has expanded to include the more general sense of "to make or become less strong, intense, or pronounced." Today, the word is used in a variety of contexts, including medicine, physics, and economics.

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