noun

perforation

pur-fuh-RAY-shun/ˌpɜːrfəˈreɪʃn/

Piercing holes through material.

Perforation makes the sheets easy to tear from the pad.

A plain sheet of pale blue card with a straight row of clean circular punched holes, slightly lifted so the openings visibly pass through it; a hole punch and matching circular paper chads make the punched construction clear.

Etymology

perLatinthrough

+forLatinbore, pierce

+ationLatinaction or result

The noun names the result of piercing through: the opening left behind. The selected meaning focuses on that physical result, whether a single hole or a row of holes.

In context

Emerging Crops, UW-Madison Extension50:26

the small roots will go through the perforation in the tile and begin to kind of expand. And that's where you could have some soil infiltration and and get into some trouble.

Episode #6: Prairie STRIPS

More examples

Tear the coupon along the row of perforations.
Each perforation lets air pass through the plastic.
The machine holds the paper steady during perforation.

Forms

perforation · perforations

perforate verb — To pierce holes through a material.

Similar words

puncture: Usually a single hole made by a pointed object.
piercing: Emphasizes the act of passing a sharp object through.