percolate

[ verb pur-kuh-leyt; noun pur-kuh-lit, -leyt ]

verb (used with object)

, per·co·lat·ed, per·co·lat·ing.

1. to cause (a liquid) to pass through a porous body; filter.
2. (of a liquid) to filter through; permeate.
3. to brew (coffee) in a percolator.

verb (used without object)

, per·co·lat·ed, per·co·lat·ing.

1. to pass through a porous substance; filter; ooze; seep; trickle.
2. to become percolated:

   The coffee is starting to percolate.

3. to become active, lively, or spirited.
4. to show activity, movement, or life; grow or spread gradually; germinate:

   Interest in the idea has begun to percolate.

noun

1. a percolated liquid.

percolate

/ ˈpɜːkələbəl /

verb

1. to cause (a liquid) to pass through a fine mesh, porous substance, etc, or (of a liquid) to pass through a fine mesh, porous substance, etc; trickle

   rain percolated through the roof

2. to permeate; penetrate gradually

   water percolated the road

3. informal.
   intr to become active or lively

   she percolated with happiness

4. to make (coffee) or (of coffee) to be made in a percolator

noun

1. a product of percolation

Pronunciation Note

The pronunciation of percolate as [pur, -ky, uh, -leyt], with an intrusive y -glide, results from analogy with words like circulate and matriculate, where the unstressed vowel following the k -sound is symbolized by a u spelling, making the y -glide mandatory. In similar words where [k] is followed by some other vowel, the [y] represents a hypercorrection. The pronunciation of escalate as [es, -ky, uh, -leyt] is another such example. See coupon, new.

Derived Forms

• ˈpercolative, adjective
• ˌpercoˈlation, noun
• percolable, adjective

Other Words From

• perco·la·ble adjective
• perco·lative adjective
• un·perco·lated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of percolate¹

1620–30; < Latin percōlātus, past participle of percōlāre to filter. See per-, colander, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of percolate¹

C17: from Latin percolāre, from per + cōlāre to strain, from cōlum a strainer; see colander

Example Sentences

Russian militants continue to percolate through the Ukrainian border, hoping their Kremlin-stoked fantasies will come true.

From The Daily Beast

And this effect would probably percolate up the food chain somewhat.

From The Daily Beast

Novel gun control ideas continue to percolate through the commentariat.

From The Daily Beast

I realize now that I was naive to think any of that would percolate through.

From The Daily Beast

In the U.S., it took more than a decade for the lessons to percolate from the teach-ins to the startups.

From The Daily Beast

With pulp treated in steeping tanks, fresh water is allowed to percolate or drain slowly through the mass.

From Project Gutenberg

No water can percolate athwart it, and consequently where it is, there the superincumbent soil is resolved into a quagmire.

From Project Gutenberg

The Gulf had risen close enough to their little well to percolate through the sand into it and render it as salt as itself.

From Project Gutenberg

Concentrate the weak percolate to a soft extract and dissolve in the reserved portion.

From Project Gutenberg

Through pressure of instincts from past lives, strengths or weaknesses percolate gradually into human consciousness.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bubble
• filter
• ooze
• permeate
• pervade