concentrate meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

concentrate

verb

UK /ˈkɒn.sən.tɹeɪt/ · US /ˈkɑn.sən.tɹeɪt/

Etymology (early 17th century) From a Romance language, see French concentrer, Italian concentràre, Spanish concentrar; alternatively from Medieval Latin/New Latin concentrō + -ate (verb-forming suffix). Compare also earlier concentre and German konzentrieren. By surface analysis, con- + center (centr- in compounds) + -ate (verb-forming suffix).

Ergative To bring to, or direct toward, a common center; to unite more closely; to gather into one body, mass, or force.

to concentrate rays of light into a focus
to concentrate the attention

To increase the strength and diminish the bulk of, as of a liquid or an ore; to intensify, by getting rid of useless material; to condense.

to concentrate acid by evaporation
to concentrate by washing

To approach or meet in a common center; to consolidate.

Population tends to concentrate in cities.
Buried within the Mediterranean littoral are some seventy to ninety million tons of slag from ancient smelting, about a third of it concentrated in Iberia. This ceaseless industrial fueling caused the deforestation of an estimated fifty to seventy million acres of woodlands.2006, Edwin Black, chapter 2, in Internal Combustion:

To focus one's thought or attention (on).

(oneself)
Let me concentrate!

1 more example

The Group has recently concentrated on two main objectives, the implementation of a Code of Practice on minor station improvements and the preparation of a stock list of approved items of equipment for railway stations.1962 October, Brian Haresnape, “Focus on B.R. passenger stations”, in Modern Railways, page 252:

Derived terms: concentrated, concentrative, concentrator, cryoconcentrate, deconcentrate, hemoconcentrate, overconcentrate, preconcentrate, reconcentrate, upconcentrate
Related terms: concentration

concentrate

adj

Etymology From Medieval Latin/New Latin concentrātus, perfect passive participle of concentrō (“concentate”). See Etymology 1 and -ate (adjective-forming suffix) for more.

concentrated

It is, when good, a concentrate yellow.1758, Robert Dossie, The Handmaid to the Arts, volume I., page 114:
Subtracting the liters of concentrate fluid required in the diluted operation.2011, v. 80/1, Optimizing Use of Aircraft Deicing & Anti-icing Fluids (ACRP):

concentrate

noun

Etymology From a substantivation of the above adjective. See also -ate (noun-forming suffix). Compare French concentré and German Konzentrat.

A substance that is in a condensed form.

orange concentrate

Derived terms: bioconcentrate, leaf protein concentrate, superconcentrate, tomato concentrate

concentrate

concentrate

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