permanence
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
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."
Vocabulary lists containing permanence
Sheryl Sandberg Commencement Address 2016
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Twenty-Four Seconds from Now
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The Serpent King
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I know we kind of forget them, because as a society we have the object permanence of like a two-month-old, and we routinely lose games of peekaboo to our policymakers.
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
He attended more than a dozen schools and found permanence “not in places or friendships, but in the movies,” which he loved from childhood.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
"I wanted to have some permanence," he said.
From BBC ● May 13, 2026
Like so many other TV personalities in 2026, she cannot move her forehead, giving her already steely vibe the facial permanence of a screengrab.
From Slate ● May 6, 2026
Separation is familiar, too familiar, but Celia is uncertain she can reconcile it with permanence.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
