Pér'me-āte, v. t.

v. t. [imp. & p. p. PERMEATED; p. pr. & vb. n. PERMEATING.] [Lat. permeare, permeatum, from prefix per, through, and meare, to go, to pass; It. permeare.] To pass through the pores or interstices of; to penetrate and pass through without causing rupture or displacement; — applied especially to fluids which pass through substances of loose texture; as, water permeates sand or a filtering stone; light permeates glass.