low-density
Meaning
Having a relatively low amount of mass per unit of volume.
(of a material, substance, or area) Having relatively few parts, people, or things within a given space.
Structure
Usage
Low-density polyethylene is commonly used for plastic bags and packaging.
The region is characterized by low-density housing and large plots of land.
A low-density diet focuses on foods that are high in volume but low in calories.
Etymology
The compound adjective 'low-density' is a modern English formation that transparently combines two native and borrowed elements to describe a measurable physical property. The first element, 'low', originates from Old English words for a mound or a low position, evolving to signify a small degree or amount. The second element, 'density', enters English via French from the Latin 'densus', meaning thick or close-packed, combined with the abstract noun suffix '-ity'. The literal construction "low compactness" logically evolved into the modern technical and general senses describing anything from gases and materials to urban areas with mass or elements spread thinly over a given volume.
Analysis
low: From Old English 'hlāw', 'hlǣw' (mound, hill) and later 'lāh' (low in position), of Germanic origin. In this compound, it functions as an adjective meaning "small in amount or degree." density: From Latin 'densus' (thick, dense) + the noun-forming suffix '-ity' (state, condition). It functions as a noun meaning "the degree of compactness of a substance."