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Percolate - Meaning, Definition & English Examples

To percolate means to filter or spread gradually through a substance, like water passing through coffee grounds. It can also describe ideas or information slowly spreading among people.

percolate

/ˈpɝː.kə.leɪt/ /ˈpɜː.kə.leɪt/

Definition:

To filter or spread gradually through a substance or group.

Synonyms:

filter, seep, permeate, trickle

Part of Speech:

verb, noun

Antonyms:

stagnate, block

Common Collocations:

coffee percolates, ideas percolate, water percolates through soil

Derivatives:

percolation, percolator

Usage Tips:

Use "percolate" for liquids filtering slowly or ideas spreading gradually; avoid for fast movements.

Common Phrases:

percolate through, let it percolate, percolate down

Etymology:

From Latin "percolare," meaning to strain or filter through ("per-" through + "colare" to strain).

Examples:

  • 1. The coffee began to percolate in the old machine.
  • 2. Rainwater will slowly percolate through the sandy soil.
  • 3. New ideas often take time to percolate among team members.
  • 4. The news started to percolate through the small town quickly.

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