permanent press

American  

noun

1. a process in which a fabric is chemically treated to make it wrinkle-resistant so as to require little or no ironing after washing.

2. the condition of a fabric so treated.

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permanent press British  

noun

1. 1. a chemical treatment for clothing that makes the fabric crease-resistant and sometimes provides a garment with a permanent crease or pleats

   2. ( as modifier )

      permanent-press skirts

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Other Word Forms

• permanent-press adjective

Etymology

Origin of permanent press

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

Years ago, I heard a marshal tell a journalist that the first two rows of the press area were reserved for “court employees”—meaning the folks in the so-called permanent press corps.

From Slate • May 22, 2023

Formaldehyde is in composite wood products such as plywood, as well as in building materials and insulation, glues, permanent press fabrics, paints, coatings, lacquers, finishes, as well as paper products.

From Salon • Mar. 23, 2022

Without temporary or permanent press passes, Breitbart journalists can still enter congressional facilities, but they must do so through public access, an inconvenient step.

From Washington Post • Apr. 25, 2017

So, you should machine wash the shirt in warm 40 degrees Celsius water, and set your machine to permanent press.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 1, 2016

I wasn’t surprised to learn my great-aunt, like her sister, preferred her cotton sheets lightly starched and didn’t trust the feel of permanent press fabric.

From "Gone Crazy in Alabama" by Rita Williams-Garcia