perforate
perforate Lexical Profile
perforate Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To pierce and make a hole or holes in a material or organ.
"Untreated stomach ulcers can eventually perforate the lining of the digestive tract, requiring immediate medical attention."
To make a row of small holes in paper or thin material so that a part may be torn off easily.
"The printing press was calibrated to perforate the edge of each ticket stub for easy removal at the theater entrance."
• adjective
Having a hole or a series of small holes; pierced or punctured (especially in biological or botanical contexts, such as leaves or membranes).
"The botanist examined the perforate leaves of the St. John's wort under a magnifying glass, noting the tiny translucent glands that looked like pinpricks."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Latin perforatus, the past participle of perforare ('to bore through'), formed from per- ('through') and forare ('to bore or pierce'), which shares an Indo-European root with the English word 'bore'.