adj.
Pronunciation: ' den(t)s
Function: adjective
Inflected Form: dens · er ; dens · est
Etymology: Latin densus; akin to Greek dasys thick with hair or leaves
Date: 15th century
1 a : marked by compactness or crowding together of parts < dense vegetation> < dense traffic> b : having a high mass per unit volume <carbon dioxide is a dense gas>
2 a : slow to understand : STUPID , THICKHEADED <was too dense to get the joke> b : EXTREME < dense ignorance>
3 : having between any two elements at least one element <the set of rational numbers is dense >
4 : demanding concentration to follow or comprehend < dense prose>
5 : having high or relatively high opacity <a dense fog> <a dense photographic negative>
synonyms see STUPID
– dense · ly adverb
– dense · ness \ ' den(t)-sn ə s \ noun