Seep
/siːp/noun
To flow, pass, or leak slowly through small openings or porous material.
Did you know?English seep is historically linked to Old English sēopan/sīpan, and its deep Germanic relatives connect it to the idea of liquid being absorbed or soaked up—language built around the movement of hidden moisture.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*seupanan
“to soak, make wet”
Old English
OE
sīpan / sēopan
“to soak up, absorb moisture”
Middle English
ME
sepen
“to ooze, leak, or soak through”
Modern English
English
seep
“to flow or leak slowly through tiny openings”