n. 1 the act or an instance of dispersing; the process of being dispersed. 2 Chem. a mixture of one substance dispersed in another. 3 Physics the separation of white light into colours or of any radiation according to wavelength. 4 Statistics the extent to which values of a variable differ from the mean. 5 (the Dispersion) the Jews dispersed among the Gentiles after the Captivity in Babylon.
[ ME f. LL dispersio (as DISPERSE), transl. Gk diaspora: see DIASPORA ]