ENGLISH
REFERENCE

dense

adj.
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈdɛns// UK //dˈɛns// dense

adj. having parts that are very close together with little space in between. It can describe a thick forest, a heavy material, or even a book that is very difficult to understand.

adj. closely compacted in substance or composition; having high mass per unit volume. Also used figuratively to describe text or information that is complex and difficult to process due to its concentration of ideas.


SIMPLE

The fog is so dense that I cannot see the road.

CONTEXTUAL

We had a hard time hiking through the dense forest because the trees were packed so tightly together.

COMPLEX

The philosopher's latest book is so dense with technical jargon and abstract concepts that even experts in the field find it challenging to finish a single chapter in one sitting.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle French dense, from Latin dēnsus, from Proto-Indo-European *dens- (“thick, dense”) (whence also Ancient Greek δασύς (dasús)).

Usage

Commonly modifies nouns related to physical matter (forest, fog, bone) or intellectual content (prose, theory, text).

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