infiltrate

 
Pronunciation: /ˈɪnfɪltreɪt/

verb

[with object]
  • 1enter or gain access to (an organization, place, etc.) surreptitiously and gradually, especially in order to acquire secret information: the organization has been infiltrated by informers
  • introduce (someone) into an organization, place, etc. surreptitiously, in order for them to acquire secret information: they infiltrated an agent into the factory
  • Medicine (of a tumour, cells, etc.) spread into or invade (a tissue or organ): one of the tumours infiltrated the submucosa
  • 2(of a liquid) permeate (something) by filtration: virtually no water infiltrates deserts such as the Sahara
  • cause (a liquid) to permeate something by filtration: lignocaine was infiltrated into the wound
  • 3gradually permeate or become a part of: computing has infiltrated most professions now

noun

Medicine
  • an infiltrating substance or a number of infiltrating cells: a chest radiograph revealed a patchy infiltrate in the left lower lobes

Derivatives

infiltration

Pronunciation: /-ˈtreɪʃ(ə)n/
noun

infiltrator

noun

Origin:

Middle English (as infiltration): from in-2 + filtrate