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Glite Dictionary
low density

low density

1 3.7
A small amount of material in a space like foam or gas
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : baja densidad
  • The low density of the foam makes it ideal for lightweight packaging.
  • low density lipoprotein
  • relatively low density
  • low density area

Examples

  • Other species persist only at very low densities.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Moreover, genetic evidence suggests that our foraging ancestors in the Pleistocene lived at low densities.

    Academic text (2009)

  • How can such a big planet have such low density?

    Academic text (1996)

  • One central factor is the relatively low density of trade union membership in the labor force.

    Academic text (1994)

  • Their high stiffness with low density provides the best mix of properties, though the cost is higher.

    Academic text (1993)

  • On average, lower densities are found away from the middle of the galactic plane.

    Academic text (1992)

  • Moreover, the low density of rubber particles can help to decrease the unit weight of concrete.

    Academic text (2017)

  • What enables blackgum to grow nearly everywhere, but almost always at very low densities?

    Academic text (2007)

  • Before European settlement, blackgum occurred at low density in forests throughout much of the eastern United States (Table 1).

    Academic text (2007)

  • The collared lemming at Pearce Point in Arctic Canada persisted at low density for six years.

    Academic text (1996)

Synonyms

sparseness
vslow density
1 6.8

A small number or amount that is spread out

stresses mass per volume more than mere scattered amount
thinness
vslow density
1 4.3

Not being full or dense, like a small crowd and a small number of hairs

is broader, also applying to scattered distribution rather than mass alone
sparsity
vslow density
1 7.6

A small number or amount spread far apart

focuses more on mass per space than on simple count
tenuousness
vslow density
8.1

A thin or not thick state often about air

expresses mere lack of mass without implying fragility

Antonyms

dense
  • Specialized
42 4.2

Has a lot of matter in a small space

How Dense

dense
9 3.2
low density
  • Specialized
1 3.7
sparse
31 5.0

Surface Forms

low density singular
low densities plural

Morphology

low + density

The meaning 'having comparatively little mass per unit volume' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'low' (not high; small amount) with 'density' (mass per unit volume). This simple adjective+noun composition is cross-linguistically common and follows regular English semantics, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily understand 'low density'.

Etymology

Low density paints a simple image: imagine a sponge or foam full of air, where most of the space is empty. The word low means not much and density is how much matter is packed into a space, so something with low density is light for its size and means 'not much matter in a given volume'.