Leaching

noun (also the present participle / gerund of the verb "leach")

/ˈliːtʃɪŋ/

The process by which soluble minerals and nutrients are washed out of the upper soil layers by percolating rainwater, leaving behind insoluble residues.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

Unregulated mining and the indiscriminate use of chemical fertilisers have accelerated the leaching of toxic heavy metals and nitrates into India's groundwater, turning a renewable resource into a slow-onset public health emergency that demands urgent regulatory intervention.

Synonyms

percolationseepagedrainingfiltrationwashing-outdissolution

Antonyms

retentionabsorptionaccumulationdeposition

🌱 Word Family

leach (v), leached (adj), leachate (n), leacher (n), unleached (adj)

🔡 Root

Middle English leche = leachate; Old English lǣce = muddy stream; Proto-Germanic lēkijō = a drain

📜 Etymology

From Middle English leche ("leachate, sluggish stream"), from Old English *lǣce ("muddy stream"), from Proto-Germanic *lēkijō ("a leak, drain, flow").

🧠 Memory Hook

A "leak" that "reaches" deep down: leaching is when water LEAKs through soil and REACHES out the soluble salts and nutrients, draining them away.

🌍 Geography 📖 Seen in: Indian Soils, Natural Vegetation & Lan...

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