Permian

American  

[pur-mee-uhn] / ˈpɜr mi ən /

adjective

1. Geology. noting or pertaining to a period of the Paleozoic Era occurring from about 280 to 230 million years ago and characterized by a profusion of amphibian species.

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noun

1. Geology. the Permian Period or System.

2. Permic.

Permian British  

/ ˈpɜːmɪən /

adjective

1. of, denoting, or formed in the last period of the Palaeozoic era, between the Carboniferous and Triassic periods, which lasted for 60 000 000 years

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noun

1. the Permian period or rock system

Permian Scientific  

/ pûr′mē-ən /

1. The seventh and last period of the Paleozoic Era, from about 286 to 245 million years ago. During the Permian Period the supercontinent Pangaea, comprising almost all of today's landmasses, formed. Gymnosperms evolved, the first modern conifers appeared, and reptiles diversified. The Permian Period ended with the largest known mass extinction in the history of life. It wiped out nearly 90 percent of known marine life forms.

2. See Chart at geologic time

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• post-Permian
  adjective
• pre-Permian
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Permian

First recorded in 1835–45; Perm + -ian

Example Sentences

Permian production bypasses Cushing on its way to Gulf refineries and to export from the newly expanded Port of Corpus Christi through pipelines, which have also been expanded.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 6, 2026

“We sit at the intersection of that. We are providing the ability for industry to further develop the Permian and scale it into this fully integrated energy ecosystem.”

From Barron's • May 14, 2026

Van’t Hof said he expected mostly private Permian operators to add 20 to 30 rigs this year.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Investor anxiety about production growth in the Permian Basin has a long history.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

“I do not like the Permian football program,” he had said.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger