This computer term describes a situation whereby the majority, or significant minority (at least 10%), of potential data cells are occupied in a multidimensional structure.

Last updated: June 14, 2004.

adj., dens·er, dens·est.

1. 1. Having relatively high density.
   2. Crowded closely together; compact: a dense population.
2. Hard to penetrate; thick: a dense jungle.
3. 1. Permitting little light to pass through, because of compactness of matter: dense glass; a dense fog.
   2. Opaque, with good contrast between light and dark areas. Used of a photographic negative.
4. Difficult to understand because of complexity or obscurity: a dense novel.
5. Slow to apprehend; thickheaded.

[Middle English, from Latin dēnsus.]

densely dense'ly adv.
denseness dense'ness n.

adjective

1. Having all parts near to each other: close, compact, crowded, packed, thick, tight. See tighten/loosen.
2. Growing profusely: heavy, lush, luxuriant, profuse, rank, thick. See big/small/amount.
3. Lacking in intelligence: blockheaded, doltish, dumb, hebetudinous, obtuse, stupid, thickheaded, thick-witted. Informal thick. Slang dimwitted, dopey. See ability/inability.

adj

Definition: compressed, thick
Antonyms: open, scattered, sparse, thin, uncompressed

adj

Definition: slow, stupid
Antonyms: brainy, clever, intelligent, smart

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Thick; compact; crowded together.

IN BRIEF: Having its parts close together. Also: Slow to understand.

A black hole is an extremely dense concentration of matter equal in mass to millions or billions of suns. — Walter Sullivan.

Tutor's tip: Cars in a "dense' (crowded or thick) parking lot are likely to end up with some "dents" (depressions or hollows caused by blows).

Dansk (Danish)
adj. - tæt, tyk, sammentrængt, dum

Nederlands (Dutch)
opeengepakt, dicht, compact, dom

Français (French)
adj. - dense, épais, compact (une foule), nombreux (une population), (Opt, Phot) opaque, bête, obtus (un esprit), concentré

Deutsch (German)
adj. - dicht, zusammengedrängt, dumm

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - πυκνός, δασύς, αργόστροφος, συμπαγής, μεστός εννοιών

Italiano (Italian)
denso, compatto

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - denso

Русский (Russian)
плотный, густой, тесный, тупой

Español (Spanish)
adj. - denso, tupido, compacto, espeso, estúpido, intenso, difícil

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - tjock, ogenomtränglig, bild. dum

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
密集的, 浓厚的

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 密集的, 濃厚的

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 조밀한, 우거진, 어리석은

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 密集した, 稠密な, 緻密な, 頭の鈍い, 比較的不透明な, 濃い, 屈折率の大きい, 極端な, 密な, 愚鈍な

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) مزدحم بأعداد كبيرة ( صفه للناس, أو الأشياء), كثيف بحيث لا يمكن الرؤيه من خلاله, غبي‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮צפוף, סמיך, דחוס, אטום, מטומטם‬

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