infiltrate

[ in-fil-treyt, in-fil-treyt ]
See synonyms for: infiltrateinfiltratedinfiltratinginfiltrator on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),in·fil·trat·ed, in·fil·trat·ing.
  1. to filter into or through; permeate.

  2. to cause to pass in by filtering.

  1. to move into (an organization, country, territory, or the like) surreptitiously and gradually, especially with hostile intent: The troops infiltrated the enemy lines.

  2. to pass a small number of (soldiers, spies, or the like) into a territory or organization clandestinely and with hostile or subversive intent: The intelligence agency infiltrated three spies into the neighboring country.

verb (used without object),in·fil·trat·ed, in·fil·trat·ing.
  1. to pass into or through a substance, place, etc., by or as by filtering.

  2. Pathology. to penetrate tissue spaces or cells.

noun
  1. something that infiltrates.

  2. Pathology. any substance penetrating tissues or cells and forming a morbid accumulation.

Origin of infiltrate

1
First recorded in 1750–60; in-2 + filtrate

Other words from infiltrate

  • in·fil·tra·tive [in-fil-trey-tiv, in-fil-truh-], /ˈɪn fɪlˌtreɪ tɪv, ɪnˈfɪl trə-/, adjective
  • in·fil·tra·tor [in-fil-trey-ter, in-fil-trey-], /ˈɪn fɪlˌtreɪ tər, ɪnˈfɪl treɪ-/, noun
  • re·in·fil·trate, verb, re·in·fil·trat·ed, re·in·fil·trat·ing.
  • un·in·fil·trat·ed, adjective

Words Nearby infiltrate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use infiltrate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for infiltrate

infiltrate

/ (ˈɪnfɪlˌtreɪt) /


verb
  1. to undergo or cause to undergo the process in which a fluid passes into the pores or interstices of a solid; permeate

  2. military to pass undetected through (an enemy-held line or position)

  1. to gain or cause to gain entrance or access surreptitiously: they infiltrated the party structure

noun
  1. something that infiltrates

  2. pathol any substance that passes into and accumulates within cells, tissues, or organs

  1. pathol a local anaesthetic solution injected into the tissues to cause local anaesthesia

Origin of infiltrate

1
C18: from in- ² + filtrate

Derived forms of infiltrate

  • infiltration, noun
  • infiltrative, adjective
  • infiltrator, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012