Dilate
/ˈdaɪˌleɪt/
verbB2
Definition
Dilate means to make something bigger in size or width. It is often used when talking about parts of the body, like the pupils of the eyes getting bigger in the dark or blood vessels opening wider to allow more blood flow. It can also be used in a general sense for any object or space becoming wider.
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See It in Action
To become wider or larger, especially body parts
- •The doctor asked the patient to wait while the pupils dilate in the dark.
- •Blood vessels dilate to increase blood flow during exercise.
- •The nurse used drops to dilate the patient's eyes for the exam.
To make something wider or larger (less common, more formal)
- •The tunnel was dilated to allow bigger trucks to pass.
- •Engineers dilated the pipe to improve water flow.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'dilate' like 'open,' but more about making something bigger or wider, not just moving it apart
- ✓Picture your eyes in a dark room: the black part (pupil) grows larger to let in more light
- ✓It's the feeling when a small hole gets bigger to let something through, like a door opening wider for more people
- ✓Sounds like 'die-LATE' → imagine something slowly growing bigger just before it’s late, like a flower opening at the end of the day
- ✓Think of a camera lens that can widen to show more of a scene, similar to how dilation works
- ✓NOT like 'expand' (which can mean growing in all directions), 'dilate' usually means growing wider or opening more
- ✓NOT like 'stretch' (pulling longer), 'dilate' focuses on making wider or more open
- ✓NOT like 'open' (which can mean just moving from closed to open), 'dilate' means increasing size or width, often gradually
Try Other Words
- •Expand: to grow larger in size (Use when the increase is in all directions, not just width)
- •Widen: to become wider (Use when focusing only on width increase)
- •Enlarge: to make bigger (Use in general contexts for size increase)
- •Open: to move from closed to open (Use for simple opening actions without size change)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: No clear prefix or suffix; root 'late' from Latin related to 'carry' or 'bring'
- •Etymology: From Latin 'dilatare,' meaning to spread out or enlarge
- •Historical development: Used since the 1600s to describe physical widening or spreading
- •Modern usage: Common in medical fields to describe widening of pupils, blood vessels, or other body parts; also in technical contexts for increasing size or space
Reflect & Connect
•How does the idea of something dilating help you understand changes in your body, like your eyes adjusting to light?
•Can you think of situations outside the body where dilation might happen or be useful?
Fill in the blanks
1.The doctor told the patient to wait quietly while their pupils dilate ___ the room gets darker.
2.Blood vessels dilate during exercise to ___ more oxygen to muscles.
3.Unlike just opening a door, to dilate means to ___ the size or width of something.
4.The nurse used special drops to dilate the eyes ___ better examination.
5.When the pipe dilates, it allows water to flow ___ without blockage.
6.Pupils dilate ___ in response to changes in light or emotions.
7.If something only opens quickly without changing size, it is not correct to say it ___.