percolator

American  

[pur-kuh-ley-ter] / ˈpɜr kəˌleɪ tər /

noun

1. a kind of coffeepot in which boiling water in a repeated process is forced up a hollow stem, filters down through ground coffee in a sievelike container, and returns to the pot below.

2. something that percolates.

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percolator British  

/ ˈpɜːkəˌleɪtə /

noun

1. a kind of coffeepot in which boiling water is forced up through a tube and filters down through the coffee grounds into a container

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Etymology

Origin of percolator

First recorded in 1835–45; percolate + -or ²

Example Sentences

He stopped to watch a La Parrilla worker pour a giant jug of Jamaica into a percolator.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 7, 2024

If your pipe has a network of small winding tubes inside the main piece, that is a percolator.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 1, 2022

I had zero interest in learning to operate a percolator.

From Salon • Mar. 2, 2019

I roll out of bed, maybe have a shave if I’m looking particularly grizzled, and then wander over to the campfire, where a percolator full of coffee is waiting.

From The Verge • Oct. 25, 2018

I added an extra cup of water to the percolator and glanced out the window.

From "Amal Unbound" by Aisha Saeed