Infusion is the process of extracting chemical compounds or flavors from plant material in a solvent such as water,
oil or
alcohol, by allowing the material to remain suspended in the solvent over time (a process often called
steeping). An
infusion is also the name for the resultant liquid. The process of infusion is distinct from
decoction, which involves boiling the plant material, or
percolation, in which the water passes through the material (as in a
coffeemaker).