percolate

[pur-kuh-leyt, pur-kuh-lit, -leyt]

verb (used with object)

percolated, percolating 

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)

percolated, percolating 

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 , 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 is followed by some other vowel, the represents a hypercorrection. The pronunciation of escalate as is another such example. See coupon, new.

Other Word Forms

• percolable adjective
• percolative adjective
• unpercolated adjective
• percolation noun

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

Experts say that global warming means that rains are increasingly being reported in higher reaches where it mostly snowed in the past, destabilising mountains further with water percolating and loosening the ground.

From BBC

From that experience came the album’s title, and the sequencing that had the album open with the ethereal, percolating track “Inhale,” and then close with the hopeful, romantic “Exhale.”

From Los Angeles Times

“I remember seeing this architect jumping up and down on cardboard furniture. I could see there was something going on here. Something percolating,” he says.

From Los Angeles Times

The Vietnam War was percolating, and there were student demonstrations.

From Los Angeles Times

While discussions of the singularity have been percolating online for years, recent developments in AI technology and headlines warning of a potential AI apocalypse have elevated the topic.

From Salon

Related Words

• bubble 
• filter 
• ooze 
• permeate 
• pervade