dense English · revision 10661

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1425|origins=frm dense|origins=la densus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /dens/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|frm|dense]] and directly from Latin dēnsus, thick, crowded, cloudy,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) of uncertain origin,^(Etymonline) perhaps related to Greek dasús, hairy, shaggy, thick with leaves,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) though even this is doubted.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Closely compacted, thick: probably before 1425,^(Barnhart 1988) the early 15th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Of close molecular structure, as opposed to rare, is from 1599,^(OED 1989) and of things crowded closely together from 1776.^(OED 1989) The sense stupid, thick-headed, is first recorded in 1822,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) and of ignorance, profound or impenetrable, from 1877.^(OED 1989) ''Density'' is from 1603, in Holland's Plutarch.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1425 – thick, compact.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1599 – of close structure.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1603 – density.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1776 – closely crowded.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1822 – stupid.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Closely crowded together; [[compact]]: ''a dense crowd''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Thick and hard to see through: ''dense fog''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(physics)'' Having a high [[density]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(informal)'' [[stupid|alt=Stupid]] or slow to understand.^(Collins 2023)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[densely]]

+ * [[denseness]]

+ * [[densify]]

+ * [[densimeter]]

+ * [[nondense]]

+ * [[superdense]]

+ * [[ultradense]]

+ * [[density]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[condense]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}