Diluted:Lessened in strength, made thinner or weaker, diminished in intensity. The concept of "dilution" in medicine has been around for centuries. As far back as the 16th century, people believed that consuming dried figs could thin the body's fluids. Today, "diluted" typically describes methods used to reduce the potency of a disease-causing agent (pathogen). A diluted virus is one that is less intense and energetic. Vaccines for viral infections can be developed from a diluted strain of the virus, which is less aggressive but still capable of triggering an immune response to build immunity without causing the disease. The term "diluted" originates from the Latin prefix "ad-" meaning "to" or "toward" and "tenuis," which means "thin."
