attenuated

at·ten·u·ate  (-tny-t)

v. at·ten·u·at·ed, at·ten·u·at·ing, at·ten·u·ates

v.tr.

1. To make slender, fine, or small: The drought attenuated the river to a narrow channel.

2. To reduce in force, value, amount, or degree; weaken: Medicine attenuated the fever's effect.

3. To lessen the density of; rarefy.

4. Biology To make (bacteria or viruses) less virulent.

5. Electronics To reduce (the amplitude of an electrical signal) with little or no distortion.

v.intr.

To become thin, weak, or fine.

adj. (-y-t)

1. Reduced or weakened, as in strength, value, or virulence.

2. Botany Gradually tapering to a slender point.

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[Latin attenure, attenut- : ad-, ad- + tenure, to make thin (from tenuis, thin; see ten- in Indo-European roots).]

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at·tenu·ation n.

Thesaurus

Adj.	1.	attenuated - of an electrical signal; reduced in amplitude with little or no distortion electronics - the branch of physics that deals with the emission and effects of electrons and with the use of electronic devices decreased, reduced - made less in size or amount or degree
	2.	attenuated - reduced in strength; "the faded tones of an old recording" attenuate, faded, weakened decreased, reduced - made less in size or amount or degree

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attenuated

adjective

1. slender, extended, thinned, slimmed, refined, stretched out, lengthened, drawn out, spun out, elongated, rarefied rounded arches and attenuated columns

2. weakened, reduced, contracted, lowered, diminished, decreased, dilute, diluted, lessened, devalued, sapped, watered down, adulterated, enfeebled, enervated The vaccination contains attenuated strains of the target virus.