Perforations
/ˌpɜːrfəˈreɪʃənz/
nounpluralB2plural
Definition
Perforations are many small holes or cuts made in paper, plastic, metal, or other materials. They help to easily separate or tear parts along the holes without damaging the rest. You often see perforations on stamps, tickets, or notebook pages.
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See It in Action
Small holes or cuts made in a material to allow easy separation
- •The paper had perforations so you could tear off a coupon easily.
- •Perforations on the stamp make it simple to separate it from the sheet.
- •The notebook pages have perforations to remove them without damage.
In medicine, a hole made in an organ or tissue (less common in everyday use)
- •The doctor explained the perforations in the patient's stomach lining.
- •Perforations in the intestine can cause serious health problems.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "perforations" like "holes," but many tiny and arranged in a line to help tear something easily.
- ✓Picture a paper towel or a notebook page with small dotted lines where you can tear the sheet cleanly.
- ✓It's the feeling when you want to open a letter or ticket and can easily pull it apart without scissors.
- ✓Sounds like "PER-fo-ray-shuns" → Imagine a line of tiny "pear" shapes poking through paper, making it easy to separate.
- ✓Imagine movie tickets or stamps that come apart neatly because of these small holes.
- ✓NOT like a big hole that breaks something; perforations are many small holes designed for controlled tearing.
- ✓NOT like "cut" (a single, deep line), perforations are many small cuts or holes.
- ✓NOT like "tear" (which can be random and damaging), perforations guide the tear to be clean and easy.
Try Other Words
- •Holes: empty spaces in a material (Use when referring to simple openings without the purpose of easy separation)
- •Cuts: lines or marks made by cutting (Use when the material is partially cut but not fully perforated)
- •Slots: narrow openings (Use when the holes are longer and shaped for fitting something in)
- •Punctures: small holes made by piercing (Use when the hole is caused by a sharp object and not for tearing)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "per-" (through) + "for-" (from Latin 'forare' meaning to bore or pierce) + "-ation" (a noun suffix meaning the action or process)
- •Etymology: From Latin "perforare," meaning to bore through or make a hole through something
- •Historical development: Originally used to describe holes made by tools or natural processes; now commonly used for designed holes in materials
- •Modern usage: Used in printing, manufacturing, medicine, and everyday objects to describe small holes allowing easy separation or passage
Reflect & Connect
•How do perforations make everyday tasks like opening packages or tearing paper easier for you?
•Can you think of situations where perforations might be a problem instead of helpful?
Fill in the blanks
1.The paper had perforations ___ it could be torn into smaller pieces without scissors.
2.When you buy stamps, you usually separate them along the perforations ___ damage.
3.Unlike a random tear, perforations guide the paper to ___ cleanly.
4.Perforations are different from cuts because they are many small ___, not one long line.
5.In medicine, perforations in an organ can cause serious ___ that need treatment.
6.The notebook pages have perforations so you can ___ them out neatly.
7.If a ticket has no perforations, it might be ___ to tear it without ripping.