Compenetrate

/kɒmˈpɛnɪtreɪt/ verb

Definition

To penetrate thoroughly or mutually; to pervade or permeate completely; to blend together so thoroughly that the parts are inseparable.

Etymology

From Latin compenetrare, combining com- (together, mutually) and penetrare (to pierce through, permeate). Medieval philosophers and theologians used this word to describe how different substances or forces could interpenetrate.

Kelly Says

Compenetrate appears in medieval theological debates about the Eucharist and how divine and earthly natures could relate to each other. It's a word that asks: can two things exist in the same space? Modern quantum mechanics might use different vocabulary, but compenetrate captures the same conceptual challenge.

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