First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
dilate
verb di·late \ˈdī-ˌlāt, dī-ˈ\
: to become larger or wider
di·lat·eddi·lat·ing
Full Definition of DILATE
transitive verb
1
archaic : to describe or set forth at length or in detail
intransitive verb
1
: to comment at length : discourse —usually used with on or upon
2
: to become wide : swell <the pupil of the eye dilates and contracts>
— di·lat·abil·i·ty \(ˌ)dī-ˌlā-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun
— di·lat·able \dī-ˈlā-tə-bəl, ˈdī-ˌ\ adjective
— di·la·tor \dī-ˈlā-tər, ˈdī-ˌ\ noun
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Origin of DILATE
Middle English, from Middle French dilater, from Latin dilatare, literally, to spread wide, from dis- + latus wide — more at latitude
Synonym Discussion of DILATE
expand, amplify, swell, distend, inflate, dilate mean to increase in size or volume. expand may apply regardless of the manner of increase (as growth, unfolding, addition of parts) <a business that expands every year>. amplify implies the extension or enlargement of something inadequate <amplify the statement with details>. swell implies gradual expansion beyond a thing's original or normal limits <the bureaucracy swelled to unmanageable proportions>. distend implies outward extension caused by pressure from within <a distended abdomen>. inflate implies expanding by introduction of air or something insubstantial and suggests a vulnerability to sudden collapse <an inflated ego>. dilate applies especially to expansion of circumference <dilated pupils>.
Rhymes with DILATE
abate, ablate, adnate, aerate, age-mate, agnate, airdate, airfreight, alate, arête, await, backdate, baldpate, bandmate, baseplate, bedmate, bedplate, berate, birthrate, bistate, bite plate, blank slate, blind date, blue plate, bookplate, breastplate, casemate, castrate, caudate, cell plate, cerate, cheapskate, checkmate, chelate, chordate, citrate, classmate, clavate, cognate, collate, comate, conflate, connate, Cook Strait, cordate, create, cremate, crenate, curate, cut-rate, deadweight, death rate, debate, deflate, delate, dentate, derate, dictate, disrate, donate, doorplate, downstate, drawplate, elate, end plate, equate, estate, faceplate, falcate, fellate, filtrate, first-rate, fishplate, fixate, flatmate, floodgate, fluxgate, flyweight, folate, formate, frustrate, gelate, gestate, ground state, gyrate, hamate, hastate, headgate, Hell Gate, helpmate, home plate, hot plate, housemate, hydrate, ice-skate, inflate, ingrate, inmate, innate, instate, irate, jailbait, Kuwait, lactate, lapse rate, legate, liftgate, ligate, lightweight, liquate, lobate, locate, lunate, lustrate, lych-gate, lyrate, magnate, makebate, makeweight, mandate, messmate, migrate, misstate, mutate, nameplate, narrate, negate, Newgate, nitrate, notate, nutate, oblate, of late, orate, ornate, ovate, palmate, palpate, peltate, phonate, pinnate, placate, playdate, playmate, plicate, portrait, postdate, predate, prime rate, probate, prolate, pronate, prorate, prostate, prostrate, punctate, pupate, quadrate, rain date, ramate, rebate, red-bait, relate, restate, roommate, rostrate, rotate, saccate, schoolmate, seatmate, sedate, sensate, septate, serrate, shipmate, short weight, slave state, soleplate, soul mate, spectate, spicate, squamate, stagnate, stalemate, stellate, striate, sublate, substrate, sulcate, summate, tailgate, teammate, Tebet, tenth-rate, ternate, terneplate, testate, third-rate, tinplate, to date, toeplate, tollgate, tractate, translate, tristate, truncate, unweight, update, uprate, upstate, V-8, vacate, vallate, valvate, vibrate, virgate, vulgate, whitebait, workmate
DILATING Defined for Kids
dilate
verb di·late \dī-ˈlāt\
di·lat·eddi·lat·ing
Definition of DILATE for Kids
: to make or grow larger or wider <Her pupils dilated in the dark.>
Medical Dictionary
dilate
verb di·late \dī-ˈlāt, ˈdī-ˌ\
di·lat·eddi·lat·ing
Medical Definition of DILATE
transitive verb
: to enlarge, stretch, or cause to expand <dilate his pupils with atropine> <the drug dilates peripheral arteries>
intransitive verb
: to become expanded or swollen <the cervix was dilating> <the pupils dilated>
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