permeate
verb /ˈpɜːmieɪt/
/ˈpɜːrmieɪt/
(formal)Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they permeate | /ˈpɜːmieɪt/ /ˈpɜːrmieɪt/ |
| he / she / it permeates | /ˈpɜːmieɪts/ /ˈpɜːrmieɪts/ |
| past simple permeated | /ˈpɜːmieɪtɪd/ /ˈpɜːrmieɪtɪd/ |
| past participle permeated | /ˈpɜːmieɪtɪd/ /ˈpɜːrmieɪtɪd/ |
| -ing form permeating | /ˈpɜːmieɪtɪŋ/ /ˈpɜːrmieɪtɪŋ/ |
- [transitive, intransitive] (of a liquid, gas, etc.) to spread to every part of an object or a place
- permeate something The smell of leather permeated the room.
- The air was permeated with the odour of burning rubber.
- + adv./prep. rainwater permeating through the ground
- [transitive, intransitive] (of an idea, an influence, a feeling, etc.) to affect every part of something
- permeate something a belief that permeates all levels of society
- A feeling of unease permeates the novel.
- + adv./prep. Dissatisfaction among the managers soon permeated down to members of the workforce.
Word Originmid 17th cent.: from Latin permeat- ‘passed through’, from the verb permeare, from per- ‘through’ + meare ‘pass, go’.