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   At·ten·u·ate

   verb

   • 1. reduce the force, effect, or value of: "this research provides a glimmer of hope that coral reefs can attenuate the effects of ocean acidification"
   • ▪ reduce the amplitude of (a signal, electric current, or other oscillation): "the filter must severely attenuate frequencies above 10 Hz"
   • ▪ reduce the virulence of (a pathogenic organism), especially when preparing a vaccine: "the first live vaccine was insufficiently attenuated and produced a significant disease"
   • 2. reduce in thickness; make thin.

   adjective

   • 1. reduced in force, effect, or physical thickness: rare "the doctrines of Christianity became very attenuate and distorted"

   Word Origin mid 16th century: from Latin attenuat- ‘made slender’, from the verb attenuare, from ad- ‘to’ + tenuare ‘make thin’ (from tenuis ‘thin’).

   Scrabble Points: 9

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