permeate

verb

per·​me·​ate ˈpər-mē-ˌāt 

permeated; permeating

intransitive verb

: to diffuse through or penetrate something

transitive verb

1

: to spread or diffuse through

a room permeated with tobacco smoke

2

: to pass through the pores or interstices of

permeative

ˈpər-mē-ˌā-tiv 

adjective

Did you know?

It's no surprise that permeate means "to pass through something"—it was borrowed into English in the 17th century from Latin permeatus, which comes from the prefix per- ("through") and the verb meare, meaning "to go" or "to pass." Meare itself comes from an ancient root that may have also led to Middle Welsh and Czech words meaning "to go" and "to pass," respectively. Other descendants of meare in English include permeative, permeable, meatus ("a natural body passage"), and the relatively rare irremeable ("offering no possibility of return").

Synonyms

• interpenetrate
• percolate (into)
• pervade
• riddle
• suffuse
• transfuse

Examples of permeate in a Sentence

The water permeated the sand.

The smell of baking bread permeated the kitchen.

A feeling of anxiety permeated the office as we rushed to meet the deadline.

The rain permeated through the soil.

Recent Examples on the Web

This is an issue that’s permeated the team throughout the campaign, not an outcome that was caused by the Miller trade and his absence. —Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 1 Feb. 2025

Nostalgia and the ache of moving on permeate every frame of The Ballad of Wallis Island, lending an air of precious sentimentality that threatens to slide into the saccharine. —David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Feb. 2025

Fear of retaliation is permeating the government’s foreign aid agencies, which have become some of Trump’s first targets in his campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. —Brett Murphy, ProPublica, 31 Jan. 2025

Israel would pull its troops back from Gaza's main population centers in the first stage of the deal, allowing its residents to return to what remains of their homes as more humanitarian aid permeates the Strip and those who are injured receive treatment. —Ellie Cook, Newsweek, 19 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin permeatus, past participle of permeare, from per- through + meare to go, pass; akin to Middle Welsh mynet to go, Czech míjet to pass

First Known Use

1656, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Kids Definition

permeate

verb

per·​me·​ate ˈpər-mē-ˌāt 

permeated; permeating

1

: to spread throughout

a room permeated with the scent of flowers

2

: to pass through something which has pores or small openings or is of loose texture : seep through

water permeates sand

permeation

ˌpər-mē-ˈā-shən

noun

Medical Definition

permeate

verb

per·​me·​ate ˈpər-mē-ˌāt 

permeated; permeating

intransitive verb

: to diffuse through or penetrate something

transitive verb

: to pass through the pores or interstices of