Attenuator could mean: *

Attenuator (electronics) An attenuator is an electronic device that reduces the power of a signal without appreciably distorting its waveform. An attenuator is effectively the opposite of an amplifier, though the two work by different methods. While an amplifier provi ...

, an electronic device that reduces the amplitude of an electronic signal. *

Optical attenuator An optical attenuator, or fiber optic attenuator, is a device used to reduce the power level of an optical signal, either in free space or in an optical fiber. The basic types of optical attenuators are fixed, step-wise variable, and continuously ...

, an electronic device that reduces the amplitude of an optical signal. *

Attenuator (genetics) In genetics, attenuation is a regulatory mechanism for some bacterial operons that results in premature termination of transcription. The canonical example of attenuation used in many introductory genetics textbooks, is ribosome-mediated attenuati ...

, a specific regulatory sequence transcribed into RNA. *

Impact attenuator An impact attenuator, also known as a crash cushion, crash attenuator, or cowboy cushion, is a device intended to reduce the damage to structures, vehicles, and motorists resulting from a motor vehicle collision. Impact attenuators are designed to ...

, used on highways as a crumple zone in case of a car crash.

See also