uptake

/ˈʌpteɪk/
nounIntermediate
general

The process of absorbing or assimilating something, such as nutrients, knowledge, or information.

Students showed a high uptake of the new teaching methods.

Students quickly absorbed and applied the new teaching methods.

💡

Can refer to physical absorption (e.g., nutrients) or conceptual absorption (e.g., ideas).

⚙️Engineering
technical

The rate at which a substance is absorbed or taken up by a system, often measured in engineering or environmental science.

The uptake of carbon dioxide by the forest was measured to assess its environmental impact.

Scientists measured how much carbon dioxide the forest absorbed to evaluate its environmental effects.

💡

Common in environmental and chemical engineering contexts.

💼Business
Business

The adoption or implementation of a new idea, technology, or practice.

The company's uptake of remote work policies was slow initially but increased over time.

The company initially adopted remote work policies gradually, but more employees began using them over time.

💡

Often used in business and technology to describe the speed or extent of adoption.

Collocations

rapid uptakequick absorption or adoptionlow uptakeslow or minimal absorption or adoptionnutrient uptakeabsorption of nutrients by plants or organisms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

take upphrasal verb
to begin doing something or to occupy space

💡Pro Tip

Context Matters

The meaning of 'uptake' varies by field—pay attention to the context to determine whether it refers to physical absorption, information assimilation, or adoption of practices.

Gold Rule

Technical vs. General Use

In technical fields, 'uptake' often refers to measurable absorption rates, while in general contexts, it describes the process of taking in or adopting something.

📖Word Origin

From 'up' (direction) + 'take' (to receive or absorb), first recorded in the late 19th century.

📝Usage Notes

Often used in scientific, technical, and business contexts to describe the process of taking in or adopting something.

Word Breakdown

up
direction or increase
prefix
+
take
to receive or absorb
root
English Dictionary