leach

1 of 2

noun

less common spelling of

1
: either vertical edge of a square sail
2
: the after edge of a fore-and-aft sail

leach

2 of 2

verb

leached; leaching; leaches

transitive verb

1
: to dissolve out by the action of a percolating liquid
leach out alkali from ashes
2
: to subject to the action of percolating (see percolate sense 1a) liquid (such as water) in order to separate the soluble components
3
a
: to remove (nutritive or harmful elements) from soil by percolation (see percolate sense 1a)
soil leached of its salts by torrential rains
b
: to draw out or remove as if by percolation
all meaning has been leached from my life

intransitive verb

: to pass out or through by percolation
Nutrients leached out of the soil with rainwater.
leachability noun
leachable adjective
leacher noun

Examples of leach in a Sentence

Verb Even a small amount of rain can leach the toxic material from the soil. Certain kinds of treated wood can leach chemicals into the soil. The chemical eventually leaches away from the soil.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Plastic food containers Old plastic items made before 2010 may contain harmful chemicals that are now restricted or banned, like Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, which can also leach into food – especially when heated. Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 26 July 2025 Even experts have trouble, in part because current tests, such as the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, can give inaccurate results. Anurag Srivastava, The Conversation, 10 July 2025 If authority over the body continues to leach from the private to the public sphere, then access to crucial reproductive health care will be further pushed to the margins of accessibility and allowed to languish there. Jessica Simmons-Reid, Artforum, 1 June 2025 Some farmers also worry that the solar panels could leach metals into the ground, contaminating their crops, Barron-Gafford said. Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for leach

Word History

Etymology

Verb

leach vessel through which water is passed to extract lye

First Known Use

Verb

1796, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of leach was in 1796

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Leach.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leach. Accessed 1 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

leach

verb
ˈlēch
: to pass a liquid through to carry off the soluble components
also : to dissolve out by such means
leach minerals from rocks

Medical Definition

leach

transitive verb
1
: to subject to the action of percolating liquid (as water) in order to separate the soluble components
2
: to dissolve out by the action of a percolating liquid

intransitive verb

: to pass out or through by percolation
leachability noun
plural leachabilities
leachable adjective

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