Word
porous
Phoneticspor·ous
US/ˈpɔɹəs/
UK/pˈɔːɹəs/
Definitions
01allowing liquids/gases to pass
adj. having many small holes that let water, air, or other liquids pass through slowly.
adj. possessing minute pores or interstices that permit the passage of fluids or gases.
“The soil is very porous, so the rain water drains away quickly.”
“Because the limestone is highly porous, the groundwater moves through the rock layers with relative ease, eventually forming underground caverns.”
Usage
Usually placed before a noun or after a linking verb like 'is' or 'seems'.
Antonyms
02weak or easy to pass through
adj. easy to get through because of many gaps or weaknesses.
adj. metaphorically describing a boundary, defense, or law that is easily penetrated or bypassed due to gaps or lack of enforcement.
“The country has porous borders that are difficult for the police to watch.”
“Critics argued that the new regulations were too porous, allowing large corporations to exploit several legal loopholes to avoid paying taxes.”
Academic
Teaching tip
This sense is common in political and legal contexts when discussing borders, security, or laws.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“Photograph: Ulrik Pedersen/Zuma Press Wire/Shutterstock Denmark were soon playing their way through a porous Wales midfield though, and chances came their way.” “Squires said: “We wanted to make it a porous place so that people can feel it is a space for them, designed with them in mind.” Etymology
From Old French poros, from Latin porus (“an opening”). By surface analysis, pore + -ous.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/porous