# leaky

/ˈɫiki/ (US) · /lˈiːki/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/leaky
Updated: 2026-05-09

## Definition

having a hole or crack that lets liquid or gas escape when it should stay inside. You use this to describe things like pipes, roofs, or even pens that make a mess.

For teachers: permitting the accidental or unintended escape of a fluid, gas, or data through a hole or structural weakness. Often used figuratively in computing or finance to describe systems that lose information or capital.

## Examples

- The kitchen has a leaky faucet that drips all night.
- We had to place a bucket under the leaky ceiling during the heavy rainstorm to protect the wooden floor.
- The investigation revealed that the company's leaky internal servers had been exposing sensitive customer data for months before the security breach was finally detected and patched.

## Usage notes

- Typically used as an attributive adjective before a noun or predicatively after a linking verb like 'is' or 'became'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.