leaching

American  

[leech-ing] / ˈlitʃ ɪŋ /

noun

plural

leachings

1. the dissolution or removal of substances out of soil, ashes, or the like by a process of percolation.

2. an instance of such dissolution, or a substance removed in this way.

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leaching Scientific  

/ lē′chĭng /

1. The removal of soluble material from a substance, such as soil or rock, through the percolation of water. Organic matter is typically removed from a soil horizon and soluble metals or salts from a rock by leaching. Leaching differs from eluviation in that it affects soluble, not suspended, material and often results in the complete removal of the material from the soil or rock.

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Other Word Forms

• non-leaching adjective

Example Sentences

Plastic cigarette filters are the world's most littered item, leaching toxic chemicals into the environment and breaking down into microplastics -- while doing very little for the smoker, the secretariat said.

From Barron's • Nov. 14, 2025

That makes them significantly better at leaching copper from ore than conventional methods using acids, which often only capture up to half of the metal contained in the rock, she said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025

With rare earths, it's not so much about the mining footprint, rather the processing that is a dirty business – because it involves extraction, leaching, thermal cracking and refining which produce radioactive components.

From BBC • Aug. 12, 2025

The most alarmist was probably an offering from The Atlantic, which was headlined: “Throw Out Your Black Plastic Spatula/It’s probably leaching chemicals into your cooking oil.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 24, 2024

I feel instantly better, the tension leaching out of my neck and shoulders.

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins