attenuant
|at-ten-u-ant|
🇺🇸
/əˈtɛn.juənt/
🇬🇧
/əˈtɛnjʊənt/
weakens / reduces strength
Etymology
'attenuant' originates from French, specifically the word 'atténuant', where French 'atténuer' derives from Latin 'attenuare', in which 'ad-' (later assimilated) meant 'to/toward' and 'tenuare' (from Latin 'tenuis') meant 'to make thin'.
'attenuant' changed from French 'atténuant' (present participle of 'atténuer') and was borrowed into English in technical and medical contexts; ultimately it traces back to Latin 'attenuare', formed from 'ad-' + 'tenuare'.
Initially it meant 'making thin' (literally 'to make thin'), but over time it evolved to the current sense of 'reducing strength, intensity, or severity'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
something that attenuates; an agent, factor, or device that reduces intensity, amplitude, or force.
In the experiment, a small attenuant was placed in the path of the beam to lower its power.
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Adjective 1
causing attenuation; reducing strength, intensity, or force.
The attenuant coating reduced glare from the instrument's display.
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Adjective 2
(Law/forensic) Serving as a mitigating or extenuating factor that reduces culpability or severity.
The defense presented attenuant circumstances to argue for a reduced sentence.
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Last updated: 2025/11/15 15:08