permeate
verb
per·me·ate
ˈpər-mē-ˌāt
permeated; permeating
: to diffuse through or penetrate something
1
: to spread or diffuse through
a room permeated with tobacco smoke
2
: to pass through the pores or interstices of
Did you know?
Permeate 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 hasn't exactly permeated English. Aside from permeate itself, its other English descendants include the relatively common permeable as well as the medical meatus ("a natural body passage") and the downright rare irremeable ("offering no possibility of return").
Cite this Entry
“Permeate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/permeate. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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