diffusion
dif·fu·sion/dɪˈfju.ʒən/noun
diffusion is spelled D-I-F-F-U-S-I-O-N: 9 letters and 3 syllables (dif·fu·sion). It appears 2.5 times per million words in written English, the 17,122nd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, diffusion means “The act of diffusing or dispersing something, or the property of being diffused or dispersed; dispersion” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of diffusion is diffusions.
How many letters and syllables are in diffusion?
| Letters | 9: D-I-F-F-U-S-I-O-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3: dif·fu·sion |
| In writing | 2.5 times per million words; the 17,122nd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is diffusion?
Diffusion appears 2.5 times per million words in written English, the 17,122nd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce diffusion?
- UK /dɪˈfjuː.ʒən/
- US /dɪˈfju.ʒən/
Diffusion has 3 syllables, split dif·fu·sion in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-diffusion.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with diffusion?
6 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as diffusion from its last stressed vowel (/uʒən/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of diffusion
- diffusions plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does diffusion mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
The act of diffusing or dispersing something, or the property of being diffused or dispersed; dispersion.
- 2
The scattering of light by reflection from a rough surface, or by passage through a translucent medium.
- 3
The intermingling of the molecules of a fluid due to random thermal agitation.
gaseous diffusion
- 4
The spread of cultural or linguistic practices, or social institutions, in one or more communities.
- 5
The gradual spread and adoption of goods or services.
- 6
Exchange of airborne media between regions in space in an apparently random motion of a small scale.
- 7
The movement of water vapor from regions of high concentration (high water vapor pressure) toward regions of lower concentration.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Diffusion in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does diffusion come from?
Borrowed from Latin diffūsiō, from diffundō; can be decomposed as diffuse + -ion.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).