Word Origin and History for attenuate Expand v. to make thin, to make less, 1520s, from Latin attenuatus enfeebled, weak, past participle of attenuare to make thin, lessen, diminish, from ad-to (see ad-) + tenuare make thin, from tenuis thin (see tenet).
Dependent Variable Definition: A dependent variable is the variable being tested in a scientific experiment. The dependent variable is 'dependent' on the independent variable. As the experimenter changes the independent variable, the change in the dependent variable is observed and recorded.
In experimental studies, where the independent variables are imposed and manipulated, the dependent variable is the variable thought to be changed or influenced by the independent variable. Example: study title: Effects of a new tooth paste (YummyTooth) on incidence of caries in 1st grade children. is the independent variable and Y is the dependent variable-the outcome, and Z is the type of subjects represented. A simple example would be: The effects of tomatoes on risk of prostate cancer in Scandinavian men.