Definition of percolate
percolated
;percolating
transitive verb
1a : to cause (a solvent) to pass through a permeable substance (such as a powdered drug) especially for extracting a soluble constituentb : to prepare (coffee) in a percolator
2 : to be diffused through : penetrate
intransitive verb
1 : to ooze or trickle through a permeable substance : seep
2a : to become percolatedb : to become lively or effervescent
3 : to spread gradually allow the sunlight to percolate into our rooms — Norman Douglas
4 : simmer 2a the feud had been percolating for a long time
From the M-W Editors
Examples of percolate in a Sentence
Sunlight percolated down through the trees.
Rumors percolated throughout the town.
There is nothing like percolating coffee over an open campfire.
Coffee was percolating on the stove.
Recent Examples of percolate from the Web
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In a flurry of activity on the last day of their spring session, Illinois lawmakers advanced a handful of proposals that had been percolating all year, though none will end the state's long budget fight.
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Proposals for inspection programs percolating in these and other cities are spurring heavy debate.
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Chock Full percolated 88 cents higher to $10.31, while Sara Lee was down 81 cents at $21.94.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'percolate'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Percolate comes from a Latin verb meaning "to put through a sieve". Something that percolates filters through something else, just as small particles pass through a sieve. Water is drawn downward through the soil, and this percolation usually cleans the water. A slow rain is ideal for percolating into the soil, since in a violent rainstorm most of it quickly runs off. For this reason, drip irrigation is the most effective and water-conserving form of irrigation. Percolation isn't always a physical process; awareness of an issue may percolate slowly into the minds of the public, just as Spanish words may gradually percolate into English, often starting in the Southwest.
PERCOLATE Defined for English Language Learners
percolate
playDefinition of percolate for English Language Learners
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: to pass slowly through something that has many small holes in it
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: to spread slowly
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: to make (coffee) in a special pot (called a percolator)
PERCOLATE Defined for Kids
percolate
playDefinition of percolate for Students
percolated
;percolating
1 : to trickle or cause to trickle through something porous : ooze Water percolated through sand.
2 : to prepare (coffee) by passing hot water through ground coffee beans again and again
percolation
\ˌpər-kə-ˈlā-shən\ nounpercolator
\-ˌlā-tər\ nounMedical Dictionary
Medical Definition of percolate
percolated
;percolating
1
transitive verb
: to cause (a solvent) to pass through a permeable substance (as a powdered drug) especially for extracting a soluble constituent2: to be diffused through
1
intransitive verb
: to ooze or trickle through a permeable substance2: to become percolated
Learn More about percolate
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See words that rhyme with percolate Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for percolate Spanish Central: Translation of percolate Nglish: Translation of percolate for Spanish speakers
Seen and Heard
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