proliferation
- 01 C1 Advanced
a sudden and fast increase in the number or amount of something.
the rapid and often excessive spread or increase in the number of something. Uncountable in its general sense, though often used with 'of'.
Simple“The proliferation of smartphones has changed how we communicate every day.”
In context“The rapid proliferation of digital streaming platforms has fundamentally altered the economic landscape of the entertainment industry.”
UsageOften followed by the preposition 'of'.
- 02 C2 Proficiency
the fast growth of cells or parts of a living thing.
the reproduction or multiplication of similar forms, especially cells or organelles. Typically used in medical or biological contexts.
Simple“The medicine is designed to stop the proliferation of cancer cells.”
In context“Abnormal cell proliferation is a primary characteristic of many malignant tumours, requiring targeted therapeutic intervention.”
UsageCommonly used as an uncountable noun in scientific literature.
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
the spread of nuclear weapons to countries that do not have them.
the spread of nuclear weapons, fissionable material, and weapons-applicable nuclear technology and information to nations not recognized as 'Nuclear Weapon States'.
Simple“Many world leaders are worried about the proliferation of nuclear weapons.”
In context“International treaties were established to prevent the proliferation of atomic weaponry and to encourage the peaceful use of nuclear energy.”
Teacher's tipIn political contexts, you will almost always see this paired with 'non-' (non-proliferation) to describe efforts to stop the spread.
Antonymsdisarmamentnon proliferation
“Despite the proliferation of psychobabble and therapy-speak, there’s also some good science.”
“But it was hard to control the proliferation of cheaply produced battery packs from East Asia, as well as vapes and other powered devices, with questionable quality controls.”
Borrowed from French prolifération.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.