Standard Lemma guide

perforation

noun · 8 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /ˌpɚfəˈreɪʃən/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌpəːfəˈreɪʃən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪʃən
  • CMU ARPABET: P ER2 F ER0 EY1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act of perforating or the state of being perforated.

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

Any opening in a solid object.

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

3

noun

Meaning 3

An abnormal opening in an organ, such as a rupture.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A series of holes punched through something in order to assist in separating parts.

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

5

noun

Meaning 5

That portion of a surface that remains after an open disk is removed from it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

the act of punching a hole (especially a row of holes as for ease of separation)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: puncture

7

noun

Meaning 7

a line of small holes for tearing at a particular place

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: hole

8

noun

Meaning 8

a hole made in something

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a perforation of the eardrum

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: hole

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: перфорация (perforacija) — any opening in a solid object
  • Chinese Mandarin: 打眼 (dǎyǎn) — any opening in a solid object
  • Chinese Mandarin: 打孔 (dǎkǒng) — any opening in a solid object
  • Chinese Mandarin: 鑽孔 /钻孔 (zuānkǒng) — any opening in a solid object
  • Finnish: rei’ite — any opening in a solid object
  • French: perforation — any opening in a solid object
  • Greek: διάτρηση (diátrisi) — any opening in a solid object
  • Greek: διακόρευση (diakórefsi) — any opening in a solid object
  • Ancient Greek: τρῆμα (trêma) — any opening in a solid object
  • Italian: perforamento — any opening in a solid object
  • Polish: perforacja — any opening in a solid object
  • Swedish: perforering — any opening in a solid object
  • Chinese Mandarin: 穿孔 (chuānkǒng) — medicine
  • Finnish: perforaatio — medicine