Dispersed
/dɪˈspɜːst/
Definitions
2 meaningsTo distribute or spread over a wide area; to cause to separate and go in different directions.
/dɪˈspɜːs/
To distribute or spread things over a wide area.
The crowd dispersed after the concert.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're throwing a bunch of balloons. If you let them go, they'll *disperse*, or spread out all over the place! Like when the crowd at a concert leaves the venue.
👶 For kids: When things spread out and go different ways, like when you throw a handful of toys.
More Examples
The protestors were dispersed by the police.
The seeds of the dandelion are dispersed by the wind.
How It's Used
"The troops dispersed after the battle was over."
"Seeds are dispersed by the wind."
Spread or scattered over a wide area; not concentrated.
/dɪˈspɜːst/
Spread or scattered over a wide area.
The dispersed clouds hinted at a coming storm.
💡 Simply: Imagine a field where flowers aren't all bunched up together, but are spread out all over the place. Those flowers are *dispersed*! Think of sprinkles on ice cream, not all clumped together.
👶 For kids: Things that are spread out far away from each other.
More Examples
The dispersed population of the region made infrastructure development challenging.
The dispersed settlements dotted the countryside.
How It's Used
"The dispersed settlements made communication difficult."
"The artist used dispersed brushstrokes to create the impression of movement."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
Dispersed settlements
Areas where housing and communities are spread out across a large region.
"Rural areas often have dispersed settlements."
From Latin *dispersus*, past participle of *dispergere* 'to scatter', from *dis-* 'apart' + *spargere* 'to scatter'.
The word 'disperse' has been used since the late 14th century, initially to describe the action of scattering or spreading things around.
Memory tip
Think of spreading sprinkles (dis-persed) over a cupcake to cover a large area.
Word Origin
"to scatter"