Uitlekkende

Uitlekkende is a Dutch adjective formed from the verb uitlekken, meaning to leak out. The word describes something that leaks or is prone to leaking, typically referring to liquids or other flowing substances. It functions mainly as a descriptive attributive adjective, often used in reference to containers, pipes, or fittings that allow leakage.

Etymology and form

The term combines the prefix uit- with the stem of lekken (to leak) and takes the suffix -ende to form a present-participle-like adjective: uitlekkende. In a sentence it usually appears before the noun it modifies, for example: een uitlekkende kraan or een uitlekkende verbinding. In Dutch spelling, after definite determiners the adjective takes the -e ending: de uitlekkende kraan.

Usage

In everyday language, lekkend or lek is more common to describe a leak, while uitlekkende emphasizes the ongoing process of leaking. The form is common in technical or mechanical contexts (plumbing, containers, seals) and can appear in both singular and plural constructions: een uitlekkende fles, de uitlekkende leidingen. In metaphorical uses relating to information, Dutch typically uses uitgelekt (leaked) rather than uitlekkend, as in informatie is uitgelekt.

See also

lekken, uitlekken, lekkage

Notes

Uitlekkende is a formal or precise descriptive option and may be less frequent in casual speech where simpler terms like lekkende or lekken more commonly occur.