Perforate
/ˈpɜːr.fə.reɪt/noun
To make a hole or holes through something.
Did you know?Perforate comes from Latin *perforare*, and the root *forare* is the same ancient drilling idea behind words like forum and bore—proof that “making an opening” has always been a powerful act.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bher-
“to pierce, bore, or strike”
Latin
Latin
forare
“to bore, pierce, or drill a hole”
Latin
Latin
perforare
“to bore through, pierce completely”
Old French
Old French
perforer
“to pierce through”
Late Middle English
English
perforaten
“to pierce through or make holes in”
Modern English
English
perforate
“to make a hole or holes through something”