permanence

American  

[pur-muh-nuhns] / ˈpɜr mə nəns /

noun

1. the condition or quality of being permanent; perpetual or continued existence.

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permanence British  

/ ˈpɜːmənəns /

noun

1. the state or quality of being permanent

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Other Word Forms

• nonpermanence noun

Etymology

Origin of permanence

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Medieval Latin word permanentia. See permanent, -ence

Explanation

Permanence is when something sticks around forever, like your mother's love or the smell of smoke after you accidentally start a fire in your kitchen. Something can give the impression of permanence, even if it isn't literally infinite, like a massive stone castle or a pesky neighbor who always seems to be hanging around. The noun permanence comes from permanent, which in Latin means "remaining to the end," from the roots per, "through," and manere, "remain or stay."

Example Sentences

I also like the idea of creating a permanence in the playfulness.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Compounding that issue is the permanence of AI-related job losses.

From Barron's • Feb. 23, 2026

When authorization denials become effectively unreviewable, legal error hardens into permanence by default.

From Slate • Jan. 10, 2026

But this is my third time back in Chicago as an adult, and the first that feels like more than a long layover — the first that’s starting to stitch itself into something like permanence.

From Salon • Dec. 7, 2025

The first impression forced on me was that permanence is neither achieved nor desired by mobile people.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• perpetuation