# percolate

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈpɜːkəleɪt/ · frequency rank #79,847

## Definitions
1. To pass a liquid through a porous substance; to filter.
2. To drain or seep through a porous substance.
3. To make (coffee) in a percolator.
4. (of coffee) to be prepared by percolation; (of a coffee pot) to brew coffee in this way.
5. To spread slowly or gradually; to slowly become noticed or realised.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin percōlātus, perfect passive participle of percōlō (“to filter”), itself, from per (“through”) + cōlō (“to strain”) (from cōlum (“a strainer”), of unknown origin); see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (noun-forming suffix).

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