percolation
Americannoun
-
the act or state of percolating or of being percolated.
-
Pharmacology. the extraction of the soluble principles of a crude drug by the passage of a suitable liquid through it.
-
Geology. the slow movement of water through the pores in soil or permeable rock.
Etymology
Origin of percolation
First recorded in 1605–15, percolation is from the Latin word percōlātiōn- (stem of percōlātiō ). See percolate, -ion
Explanation
Percolation is the process of a liquid slowly passing through a filter. It's how coffee is usually made. Percolation comes from the Latin word percolare, which means "to strain through." Percolation happens when liquid is strained through a filter, like when someone makes coffee. Drinking coffee can make you feel perky! Perky comes from the word percolate, too, describing something that bubbles over. Percolation (a noun) is what happens when anything percolates. It’s usually coffee, but chemists use percolation for all kinds of experiments.
Vocabulary lists containing percolation
The Water Cycle - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Earth Science - Middle School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Water Cycle - Middle School and High School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Such calculations could ultimately improve scientists' understanding of complex processes like turbulence and percolation.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 16, 2025
This too validated the hypothesis of a directed percolation transition.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 3, 2024
And this best cup of coffee occurs at what is known as the directed percolation transition.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 3, 2024
How did your work open these new doors for mathematicians to solve problems related to percolation theory?
From Scientific American ● Sep. 25, 2023
In some cases, these tracts compose basins apparently scarcely at all exposed to any local influence in the way of percolation or infiltration of water toward or from neighboring valleys.
From Man and Nature or, Physical Geography as Modified by Human Action by George P. Marsh
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
