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Added 10 October 2026

leaky

/ˈliːki/ adjective

In Latin: fūtilis Wiktionary

adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about leaky at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Having leaks; not fully sealed.
The leaky bucket dripped only one drop at a time, but by the time I got back to the house it was half empty.
Tending to leak secrets or information.

Origin

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”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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