Leaky Meaning
/ˈliːki/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjHaving leaks; not fully sealed.
adjTending to leak secrets or information.
Sentence Examples
Tom fixed the leaky faucet.
While Tom is here, you might want to have him fix your leaky faucet.
You need to do something about the leaky faucet.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The old kitchen faucet was very ____ and dripped water all night.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ faucet was making a constant dripping sound that kept me awake for most of the night last night.
Word Origin & History
Likely a normalisation ( + -y) of earlier leak, leake, leke (“leaky”, adjective), from Middle English leke (“leaky”), from Old English hlec, *lec (“having cracks or rents; leaky”), from Proto-Germanic *lekaz (“leaking; leaky”). By surface analysis, leak + -y. Cognate with Scots lek, leck (“leaky”), Saterland Frisian läk (“leaky”), Dutch lek (“leaky”), German Low German leck (“leaky”), German leck (“leaky”), Swedish läck (“leaky”), Icelandic lekur (“leaky”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Nuclear reactors in Russian submarines are said to be so leaky that crews are often paid "sterility money"."
— 1983, Michael Stephenson, Roger Hearn, The Nuclear Case Book:
"The spooks' argument against this is that the secret service would become leaky and demoralised […]"
— 1986, The Spectator, volume 257, numbers 8252-8268, page 6:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The old kitchen faucet was very ____ and dripped water all night.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ faucet was making a constant dripping sound that kept me awake for most of the night last night.