penetration

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˌpɛnɪˈtreɪʃən/ UK /ˌpɛnɪˈtreɪʃən/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the action of entering, piercing, or passing into something

The army's deep penetration into enemy territory caught the defenders off guard.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the action of entering,... piercinginfiltrationentry permeationincisivenessinsight perforation

Word family

Related forms penetrate penetratingpenetrative

Etymology

From Latin penetratio(n-), from penetrare ('to enter into, pierce'), from penitus ('within, inmost').

penetratio Latin penetrare Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# penetration

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌpɛnɪˈtreɪʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌpɛnɪˈtreɪʃən/

## Meanings
1. the action of entering, piercing, or passing into something

## Examples
- The army's deep penetration into enemy territory caught the defenders off guard.

## Synonyms
- piercing
- infiltration
- entry
- permeation
- incisiveness
- insight
- perforation

## Related Forms
- penetrate
- penetrating
- penetrative

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: penetratio
- Root: penetrare

## Etymology
From Latin penetratio(n-), from penetrare ('to enter into, pierce'), from penitus ('within, inmost').

## AI Etymology
Penetration comes from Latin penetratio(n-), from penetrare ('to enter into, pierce'), from penitus ('within, inmost'). The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As a noun, it denotes "the action of entering, piercing, or passing into something", keeping the historical idea close to its dictionary sense. Relevant historical forms include Latin penetratio and Latin penetrare. Related words include penetrate, penetrating, penetrative.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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