leaching

American  

[leech-ing] / ˈlitʃ ɪŋ /

noun

plural

leachings

1. the dissolution or removal of substances out of soil, ashes, or the like by a process of percolation.

2. an instance of such dissolution, or a substance removed in this way.

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leaching Scientific  

/ lē′chĭng /

1. The removal of soluble material from a substance, such as soil or rock, through the percolation of water. Organic matter is typically removed from a soil horizon and soluble metals or salts from a rock by leaching. Leaching differs from eluviation in that it affects soluble, not suspended, material and often results in the complete removal of the material from the soil or rock.

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Other Word Forms

• non-leaching adjective

Example Sentences

Despite recycling efforts, most plastic ends up in landfills where it can take centuries to decompose, leaching out chemicals during that time, Deeney said.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

That makes them significantly better at leaching copper from ore than conventional methods using acids, which often only capture up to half of the metal contained in the rock, she said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025

This unusual imbalance suggested that liquid water had once seeped through the rocks, effectively leaching lutetium out of them.

From Science Daily • Oct. 16, 2025

Regular tests show surface water in the Faughan is not affected, but groundwater under the landfill is polluted and the aim is to prevent this leaching into the river.

From BBC • Sep. 3, 2025

It took a second for him to register the cold and the damp leaching into his sneakers.

From "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby