DENSE

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does dense mean? 

• DENSE (adjective)
  The adjective DENSE has 4 senses:

1. permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter

2. hard to pass through because of dense growth

3. having high relative density or specific gravity

4. slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity

  Familiarity information: DENSE used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DENSE (adjective)

Comparative: denser   
Superlative: densest   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter

Synonyms:

dense; heavy; impenetrable

Context example:

impenetrable gloom

Similar:

thick (relatively dense in consistency)

Derivation:

density (the amount per unit size)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Hard to pass through because of dense growth

Synonyms:

dense; thick

Context example:

thick woods

Similar:

impenetrable (not admitting of penetration or passage into or through)

Derivation:

denseness; density (the spatial property of being crowded together)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Having high relative density or specific gravity

Context example:

dense as lead

Similar:

heavy (of comparatively great physical weight or density)

Derivation:

denseness; density (the amount per unit size)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity

Synonyms:

dense; dim; dull; dumb; obtuse; slow

Context example:

worked with the slow students

Similar:

stupid (lacking or marked by lack of intellectual acuity)

Derivation:

denseness (the quality of being mentally slow and limited)

 Context examples 

The Bull Terrier is a thick-set muscular, well-proportioned animal with a short, dense coat that comes in pure white, black, brindle, red, fawn and tri-color.

(Bull Terrier, NCI Thesaurus)

There are two types: Rough Coated (harsh wiry and dense), and Smooth-Coated or Petit Brabancon variety (short, straight, glossy).

(Brussels Griffon, NCI Thesaurus)

A usually benign tumor composed of solid and cystic nests of epithelial cells resembling transitional epithelium; it is surrounded by an abundant stromal component that is dense and fibroblastic in nature.

(Brenner Tumor, NCI Thesaurus)

Mammogram films of breasts with higher density are harder to read and interpret than those of less dense breasts.

(Breast density, NCI Dictionary)

The skin on the skull and forehead should fall in dense folds.

(Bulldog, NCI Thesaurus)

Its double coat has a harsh medium length outer coat lined with a soft, dense undercoat.

(Cardigan Welsh Corgi, NCI Thesaurus)

Both the outer coat and dense wooly undercoat are oily for water-repellence.

(Chesapeake Bay Retriever, NCI Thesaurus)

It is characterized by the formation of dense collagen tissue and reactive bone.

(Periosteal Desmoid Tumor, NCI Thesaurus)

A variant of cervical squamous cell carcinoma characterized by the presence of islands of cells with uniform, vesicular nuclei and prominent nucleoli and a dense lymphocytic infiltrate.

(Cervical Lymphoepithelioma-Like Carcinoma, NCI Thesaurus)

A morphologic variant of classic leiomyoma characterized by a dense cellular infiltrate composed of spindle or round cells with scant cytoplasm and a less obvious interlacing fascicle pattern.

(Cellular Leiomyoma, NCI Thesaurus)