polydisperse

adjective

poly·​dis·​perse ˌpä-lē-di-ˈspərs 

: of, relating to, or characterized by or as particles of varied sizes in the dispersed phase of a disperse system

polydispersity

ˌpä-lē-di-ˈspər-sə-tē 

noun

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German polydispers, from poly- poly- + dispers "dispersed," borrowed from Latin dispersus, past participle of dispergere "to spread about, scatter, disperse" — more at disperse

Note: The term was introduced by the German chemist Wolfgang Ostwald (1883-1943) in Grundriss der Kolloidchemie, 2. Auflage, 1. Hälfte (Dresden, 1911), p. 39.

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

polydisperse

adjective

poly·​dis·​perse -dis-ˈpərs 

: of, relating to, characterized by, or characterized as particles of varied sizes in the dispersed phase of a disperse system compare monodisperse

polydispersity

-ˈpər-sət-ē 

noun

plural polydispersities