porous

[ pawr-uhs, pohr- ]

adjective

1. full of pores.
2. permeable by water, air, etc.

   Synonyms: sievelike, riddled, pervious, penetrable

porous

/ ˈpɔːrəs /

adjective

1. permeable to water, air, or other fluids
2. biology geology having pores; poriferous
3. easy to cross or penetrate

   the most porous defence in the league

   the porous border into Thailand

porous

/ pôr′əs /

1. Having many pores or other small spaces that can hold a gas or liquid or allow it to pass through.

Derived Forms

• ˈporousness, noun
• ˈporously, adverb

Other Words From

• porous·ly adverb
• porous·ness noun
• non·porous adjective
• non·porous·ness noun
• un·porous adjective
• un·porous·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of porous¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, variant of porose, from Medieval Latin porōsus; pore ², -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of porous¹

C14: from Medieval Latin porōsus, from Late Latin porus pore ²

Example Sentences

That, combined with the lengthy porous border with Pakistan’s least governed regions will give extremists a large field in which to train, plan and plot.

From Ozy

Instead water flows through and around the highly porous Venus’s-flower-basket and forms a gentle zone of water that flanks the sponge and displaces turbulence downstream, the team found.

From Science News

The Titans likely won’t rocket to the top of the AFC just with the addition of Jones, given their porous defense, but he does fill key offensive needs for them.

From FiveThirtyEight

We can have border controls and quarantine and they’re very important, but we can’t forget that these are porous land borders.

From Time

The outbreak reflects a broader one across Nepal, which shares a long, porous border with India.

From Time

Our porous borders are seen as a midterm election play-to-the-base appeal instead of a problem to be solved.

From The Daily Beast

The Brazilian defense, touted as impenetrable in pre-tournament hype, proved to be bedraggled, and porous.

From The Daily Beast

“The world is porous and full of holes…so you just find the cracks,” Austin says slyly.

From The Daily Beast

Among the biggest problems is the porous border Afghanistan shares with Pakistan.

From The Daily Beast

Functioning countries cannot have such porous borders, for security reasons let alone communitarian concerns.

From The Daily Beast

On very sandy fields the heaviest rainfall may be taken up by the porous earth, so that no streams are found.

From Project Gutenberg

The azucarilla is a confection not unlike "Edinburgh rock," but more porous and of the nature of a meringue.

From Project Gutenberg

Then put the cell within the porous cup and fill the top with clear water, preferably rain water.

From Project Gutenberg

Water in porous jars, often flavoured with rose-leaves or verbena, is presented by servants as the meal proceeds.

From Project Gutenberg

It was with great difficulty however that I clambered down the side of the crag, for the lava just there was porous and bubbly.

From Project Gutenberg