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penetrate

Pronunciation: /ˈpɛnɪtɹeɪt/

The English word “penetrate” has 6 meanings listed here.

verb

  1. To enter into; to make way into the interior of; to pierce.
  2. To achieve understanding of, despite some obstacle; to comprehend; to understand.
  3. To affect profoundly through the senses or feelings; to move deeply.
  4. To infiltrate an enemy to gather intelligence.
  5. To insert the penis into an orifice, such as a vagina, mouth, or anus.
  6. To move a piece past the defending pieces of one's opponent.

Etymology

From Latin penētrātus, perfect passive participle of penētrō (“to put, set, or place within, enter, pierce, penetrate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from penes (“within, with”) by analogy to intrō (“to go in, enter”). Compare French pénétrer.

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