dilution
UK: daɪˈluːʃən | US: daɪˈluːʃən
n. the action of making a liquid thinner or weaker by adding water or another solvent
n. the process of reducing the strength, quality, or purity of something
n. (finance) a decrease in the value of a shareholding due to the issue of additional shares
dilution = dilut<wash away> + ion<noun suffix>
- dilut: From Latin dilutus, past participle of diluere ("to wash away, dissolve"), combining dis- (apart) + luere (to wash).
- ion: A suffix forming nouns indicating an action or process (e.g., solution, fusion).
Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to Latin diluere, reflecting the idea of "washing something apart" to weaken it. Over time, dilution expanded from its literal sense of thinning liquids to metaphorical uses in finance (e.g., share value reduction) and abstract contexts (e.g., weakening impact). The suffix -ion standardizes it as a noun denoting the process.
The dilution of the acid with water made it safer to handle.
Critics argued the new policies led to a dilution of the company’s core values.
Shareholders feared equity dilution after the announcement of additional stock issuance.
The artist resisted the dilution of her creative vision by commercial demands.
Proper dilution is essential when preparing laboratory reagents.