# penetrate

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈpɛnɪtɹeɪt/ · frequency rank #13,977

## Definitions
1. To enter into; to make way into the interior of; to pierce.
2. To achieve understanding of, despite some obstacle; to comprehend; to understand.
3. To affect profoundly through the senses or feelings; to move deeply.
4. To infiltrate an enemy to gather intelligence.
5. To insert the penis into an orifice, such as a vagina, mouth, or anus.
6. To move a piece past the defending pieces of one's opponent.

## Etymology
From Latin penētrātus, perfect passive participle of penētrō (“to put, set, or place within, enter, pierce, penetrate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from penes (“within, with”) by analogy to intrō (“to go in, enter”). Compare French pénétrer.

## Easily confused with
- **penetrated** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/penetrate-vs-penetrated)

## Common misspellings (13)
`epnetrate`, `peentrate`, `penertate`, `penetarte`, `penetraet`, `penetratte`, `penetrrate`, `penetrtae`, `penettrate`, `pennetrate`, `penterate`, `pneetrate`, `ppenetrate`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/penetrate