attenuate
verb /əˈtenjueɪt/
/əˈtenjueɪt/
(formal)Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they attenuate | /əˈtenjueɪt/ /əˈtenjueɪt/ |
| he / she / it attenuates | /əˈtenjueɪts/ /əˈtenjueɪts/ |
| past simple attenuated | /əˈtenjueɪtɪd/ /əˈtenjueɪtɪd/ |
| past participle attenuated | /əˈtenjueɪtɪd/ /əˈtenjueɪtɪd/ |
| -ing form attenuating | /əˈtenjueɪtɪŋ/ /əˈtenjueɪtɪŋ/ |
- attenuate something to make something weaker or less effective
- The drug attenuates the effects of the virus.
Word Originmid 16th cent.: from Latin attenuat- ‘made slender’, from the verb attenuare, from ad- ‘to’ + tenuare ‘make thin’ (from tenuis ‘thin’).