noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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General-American:/pɝkəˈleɪʃən/
Received-Pronunciation:/pɜːkəˈleɪʃən/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The seepage or filtration of a liquid through a porous substance.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
the filtration of a liquid for extraction or purification
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: filtration
3
noun
Meaning 3
the act of making coffee in a percolator
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: cooking, cookery, preparation
4
noun
Meaning 4
the slow passage of a liquid through a filtering medium
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the percolation of rainwater through the soil
the infiltration of seawater through the lava
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: infiltration
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: filtration
History
Etymology
From Latin percōlātiō.
Across languages
Translations
30 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
процеждане
(proceždane)
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Bulgarian:
филтриране
(filtrirane)
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Chinese Mandarin:
滲濾 /渗滤
(shènlǜ)
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Chinese Mandarin:
過濾 /过滤
(guòlǜ)
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Dutch:
doorsijpelen
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Estonian:
perkolatsioon
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Estonian:
nõrgumine
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Finnish:
tihkuminen
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Finnish:
perkolaatio
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
French:
percolation
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
German:
Perkolation
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
German:
Versickerung
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
German:
Durchsickerung
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Italian:
percolazione
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Italian:
percolamento
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Japanese:
濾過
(roka)
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Latin:
percōlātiō
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Latvian:
perkolācija
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Latvian:
caursūkšanās
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Lithuanian:
sunkimasis
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Persian:
پرکولاسیون
(perkolâsion)
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Portuguese:
percolação
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Romanian:
percolare
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Russian:
проце́живание
(procéživanije)
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Russian:
проса́чивание
(prosáčivanije)
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Spanish:
percolación
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Swedish:
perkolering
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Swedish:
perkolation
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Tagalog:
paninilas
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
Tagalog:
saimsim
— seepage or filtration of a liquid
