perforation

UK: /ˌpɜː^rfəˈreɪʃ^ən/ US: /ˌpɝfəˈreɪʃən/ ,(pûr′fə rā′shən)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

per•fo•ra•tion  (pûr′fə rā′shən), n. 

1. Stamps a hole, or one of a series of holes, bored or punched through something, as those between individual postage stamps of a sheet to facilitate separation.
2. a hole made or passing through a thing.
3. the act of perforating.
4. the condition or state of being perforated.

• Medieval Latin perforātiōn- (stem of perforātiō) a boring through. See perforate, -ion
• late Middle English 1400–50

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

perforation / ˌpɜːfəˈreɪʃən/ noun

1. the act of perforating or the state of being perforated
2. a hole or holes made in something
3. a method of making individual stamps, coupons, etc easily separable by punching holes along their margins
4. the holes punched in this way
   Abbreviation: perf

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

per•fo•rate /ˈpɜrfəˌreɪt/   v. [~ + object] , -rat•ed, -rat•ing. 

1. to make holes through by piercing or punching.
2. to pierce through or to the interior of; penetrate.

per•fo•ra•tion /ˌpɜrfəˈreɪʃən/  n. 

[uncountable] perforation of the lung.

[countable] the little perforations at the end of the computer paper.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

per•fo•rate  (v. pûr′fə rāt′;adj. pûr′fər it, -fə rāt′), v., -rat•ed, -rat•ing, adj. 
v.t. 

1. to make a hole or holes through by boring, punching, piercing, or the like.
2. to pierce through or to the interior of;
   penetrate.

v.i. 

3. to make a way through or into something;
   penetrate.

adj. 

4. perforated.

• Latin perforātus, past participle of perforāre to bore¹ through; see per-
• 1530–40

per′for•a•ble, adj. 
per′fo•ra′tive, adj. 
per′fo•ra′tor, n.