What does leakage mean?
Leakage means the escape of something that is meant to remain contained. Most commonly, it describes liquid, gas, or another substance passing through a damaged, faulty, or poorly sealed barrier, as in water leakage from a pipe. In modern usage, it also commonly refers to the unauthorized or unintended disclosure of information, secrets, or data, especially in discussions of cybersecurity, business, and government. The word is typically neutral in its basic meaning but can imply waste, damage, loss of control, or a breach of confidentiality. A leak is generally the opening or source of the escape, while leakage is the process or phenomenon. Leakage is therefore useful whenever the focus is not simply on a defect but on the continuing or uncontrolled escape associated with it.
The escape or seepage of liquid, gas, electricity, or another substance from a container or barrier.
"Engineers worked overnight to stop the leakage of coolant from the system."
Common in engineering, construction, environmental, and maintenance contexts.
The unintended or unauthorized disclosure of information, secrets, or data.
"The organization introduced new controls to prevent leakage of customer records."
Especially common in cybersecurity, corporate, legal, and governmental contexts.
Used when referring to separate instances of escape or disclosure.
"The investigators recorded several leakages of confidential material."
From a dripping pipe to a confidential document, leakage describes the same basic problem: something that should stay contained getting out.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of leakage
Leakage was formed in English by adding the suffix -age to the verb leak. Leak ultimately comes through Middle English from Old English, with forms associated with allowing liquid to pass or escape. The related adjective leaky developed in the same general word family, and modern information-security usage extended the metaphor of a physical leak to the disclosure of confidential material.
Related word forms
How leakage is actually used
The word is formal or technical in many contexts, especially for engineering, data security, and financial or regulatory matters. In everyday use, information leakage often suggests an accidental or improper disclosure.
Easily confused with leakage
A leak is an opening or point through which a substance or information escapes, whereas leakage is the process or act of escaping.