creepage

[ kree-pij ]

noun

1. the act or process of creeping.
2. slow, imperceptible movement.

Word History and Origins

Origin of creepage¹

First recorded in 1900–05; creep + -age

Example Sentences

“I think content moderation is a necessity, but it should be transparent to avoid any authoritarian creepage,” says Morris, “or to find mistakes in the system, such as this case.”

From The Verge

Metabolism naturally slows as you age, so it’s harder to avoid pound creepage as the years pass.

From Time

Following the prompt equatorward movement of water which would occur as the speed of rotation increased, there must also be a gradual movement or creepage of the solid rocks toward the equator, that is, a bulging of the ocean floor and of the lands in low latitudes, with a consequent emergence of the lands there and a relative rise of sea level in higher latitudes.

From Project Gutenberg

This creepage of the rocks equatorward seemingly might favor the growth of mountains in tropical and subtropical regions, because it is highly improbable that the increase in the bulge would go on in all longitudes with perfect uniformity.

From Project Gutenberg

Without a scale, it's easier to delude yourself about what seems to be an inevitable creepage of pounds with age.

From Washington Post