attenuated

[ uh-ten-yoo-ey-tid ]

adjective

1. weakened:

   My father had a somewhat attenuated relationship with his own family, as his childhood was quite traumatic.

2. thin; slender or fine:

   Images of the conjoined twins’ brains reveal an attenuated line stretching between the two organs, called a thalamic bridge.

3. Bacteriology, Immunology. (of a strain of disease-causing virus or bacterium) rendered less virulent:

   The attenuated poliovirus in the Sabin vaccine replicates very efficiently in the gut, but less so in the nervous system.

4. Electronics. (of an electronic signal) reduced in amplitude:

   Accuracy decreases in the case of reflected or attenuated signals—for example, inside buildings.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of attenuate ( def ).

Other Words From

• sub·at·ten·u·at·ed adjective
• un·at·ten·u·at·ed adjective
• un·at·ten·u·at·ed·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of attenuated¹

attenuate ( def ) + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Anolik is less charitable about Babitz’s subsequent work, which she considers to be attenuated and strained, lacking the buzzy exuberance of “Slow Days, Fast Company.”

From Los Angeles Times

Over a professional career attenuated by injuries, he earned a Most Valuable Player Award and championship titles with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Boston Celtics.

From New York Times

The anti-abortion movement’s victory was really attenuated by this ballot measure, and they are now gearing up for a tough campaign.

From New York Times

“If accepted, DEA’s interpretation would ratify federal involvement in some of the most wrenching decisions a person can make, based on the most ‘attenuated’ relationship to any conceivable federal interest,” Washington Deputy Solicitor Gen. Peter Gonick wrote on behalf of the coalition.

From Los Angeles Times

The live attenuated virus strains were originally developed as a vaccine by Professor Ooi Eng Eong's group from Duke-NUS' Emerging Infectious Diseases Research Programme.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• extraordinary
• limited
• occasional
• scarce
• singular
• strange
• subtle
• uncommon
• unique
• unlikely
• unthinkable
• unusual