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infiltrate

[ in-fil-treyt, in-fil-treyt ]
/ ɪnˈfɪl treɪt, ˈɪn fɪlˌtreɪt /
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See synonyms for: infiltrate / infiltrated / infiltrating / infiltrator on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), in·fil·trat·ed, in·fil·trat·ing.
verb (used without object), in·fil·trat·ed, in·fil·trat·ing.
to pass into or through a substance, place, etc., by or as by filtering.
Pathology. to penetrate tissue spaces or cells.
noun
something that infiltrates.
Pathology. any substance penetrating tissues or cells and forming a morbid accumulation.
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Origin of infiltrate

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-/, adjectivein·fil·tra·tor [in-fil-trey-ter, in-fil-trey-], /ˈɪn fɪlˌtreɪ tər, ɪnˈfɪl treɪ-/, nounre·in·fil·trate, verb, re·in·fil·trat·ed, re·in·fil·trat·ing.un·in·fil·trat·ed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use infiltrate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for infiltrate

infiltrate
/ (ˈɪnfɪlˌtreɪt) /

verb
to undergo or cause to undergo the process in which a fluid passes into the pores or interstices of a solid; permeate
military to pass undetected through (an enemy-held line or position)
to gain or cause to gain entrance or access surreptitiouslythey infiltrated the party structure
noun
something that infiltrates
pathol any substance that passes into and accumulates within cells, tissues, or organs
pathol a local anaesthetic solution injected into the tissues to cause local anaesthesia

Derived forms of infiltrate

infiltration, nouninfiltrative, adjectiveinfiltrator, noun

Word Origin for infiltrate

C18: from in- ² + filtrate
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
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