Origin: Latin suffix -ate
Concentrate has 13 different meanings across 2 categories:
the desired mineral that is left after impurities have been removed from mined ore
"The smelter processed the raw copper ore to extract pure concentrate before refining it into metal bars."
a concentrated form of a foodstuff; the bulk is reduced by removing water
"The chef added tomato concentrate to the sauce to intensify its flavor without adding extra liquid."
A substance that is in a condensed form.
"The chemist heated the solution until it evaporated into a concentrated syrup."
In plain English: A concentrate is something that has been made stronger by removing most of its liquid parts.
"He needed some quiet time to concentrate on his homework."
make central
"The Russian government centralized the distribution of food"
draw together or meet in one common center
"These groups concentrate in the inner cities"
compress or concentrate
"Congress condensed the three-year plan into a six-month plan"
be cooked until very little liquid is left
"The sauce should reduce to one cup"
cook until very little liquid is left
"The cook reduced the sauce by boiling it for a long time"
To bring to, or direct toward, a common center; to unite more closely; to gather into one body, mass, or force.
"The storm clouds began to concentrate over the valley, bringing heavy rain in a single, intense burst."
In plain English: To concentrate means to focus your attention on something specific and ignore everything else around you.
"She needs to concentrate on her homework before dinner."
Usage: Use the verb concentrate when you mean focusing attention on a single task rather than physically gathering items together. Do not confuse this with "concentrate" as a noun, which refers to a thick liquid mixture like fruit juice or medicine.
The word "concentrate" entered English in the early 17th century from French or Italian forms of Medieval Latin concentrare. It was originally formed by combining a prefix meaning "together with," the root for "center," and a verb-forming suffix.