ad-

to, toward; addition; sometimes emphasis

Forms

ad-
ac- — Used before c in Latin.
af- — Used before f in Latin.
ag- — Used before g in Latin.
al- — Used before l in Latin.
ap- — Used before p in Latin.
ar- — Used before r in Latin.
as- — Used before s in Latin.
at- — Used before t in Latin.

Origin

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *ad, ‘to; near.’

Note

Later Latin-based spellings sometimes restored consonants that had disappeared in French.

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noun

attenuation

uh-ten-yoo-AY-shun/əˌtenjuˈeɪʃn/

A reduction in strength, intensity, or harmful activity.

The filter causes attenuation of the light beam passing through it.

Light beam becomes weaker beyond filter.

Etymology

atLatinto, toward; addition; sometimes emphasis

+tenuLatinthin

+ationLatinan action, process, or result

The root meaning “thin” underlies a noun for the process of making something less. Early uses included bodily emaciation and dietary reduction; the same idea supports reduction in force or intensity.

In context

NPTEL IIT Bombay26:21

any sort of attenuation; attenuation means reduction in the properties of the input waves can be mapped with the response of the porous media.

Week 10-Lecture 45

More examples

Signal attenuation increased as the cable grew longer.
The glass caused a slight attenuation of the light.
The researchers measured attenuation of the organism's harmful activity.

Forms

attenuate verb — To reduce strength, intensity, or substance.

Similar words

weakening: Is a general term for losing strength or effectiveness.
damping: Often describes reduction of vibration or oscillation specifically.