dilute
UK[daɪˈluːt]US[daɪˈluːt]
v
to make a liquid weaker by adding water or another solvent
adj
(of a liquid) made weaker or thinner by having had water or another solvent added to it
Morpheme Breakdown
di
lute
di
apart
lute
wash
Etymology
the word dilute originates from the latin verb 'diluere', meaning 'to wash away' or 'to dissolve'. this verb itself is a compound of the prefix 'dis-' (apart) and 'luere' (to wash). the core concept of washing something away or apart evolved into the specific chemical sense of reducing a substance's concentration by adding a solvent, typically water. thus, the literal ancient idea of "washing apart" provides a clear logical path to the modern abstract meaning of making a solution less concentrated.
Analysis
Structure: di (apart) + lute (wash)
di- (prefix, from latin, meaning 'apart' or 'away'); lute (root, from latin 'luere', a variant of 'lavare', meaning 'to wash')
Examples
dilute the fruit juice with water before giving it to the baby.
the report was dismissed as a dilute version of the original findings.
a dilute acid solution is safer for this experiment.