permeant
Americanadjective
Usage
What does permeant mean? Permeant describes something, such as a liquid or gas, that has penetrated or has the ability to penetrate something else.Permeant can be used both in the context of the physical spread of things and in figurative ways, such as to describe a liquid that has thoroughly soaked a material, a smell that has filled up a room, or an idea that has filled someone’s mind.The adjective permeating means the same thing and is much more commonly used. Permeant is rarely used, and autocorrect might think you mean permanent.Permeant and permeating comes from the verb permeate, which means to penetrate, pass through, and often become widespread throughout something. Similar words are pervade and saturate.Permeant should not be confused with permeable, which means capable of being permeated, especially by liquids or gases, as in The permeable surfaces should be sealed to prevent leaks. Example: The draw of screen time has become permeant in the lives of children.
Other Word Forms
- unpermeant adjective
Etymology
Origin of permeant
1640–50; < Latin permeant- (stem of permeāns ), present participle of permeāre to permeate; -ant
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.
The UN Security Council is made up of five permeant members - the US, UK, France, China, and Russia - each of which has a veto, and 10 seats that rotate between the other UN member states.
From BBC
The initiative allows for an open work permit for three years with pathways to permeant residency and citizenship.
From Seattle Times
A state district judge issued a restraining order Friday that bars the city from hiring a permeant chief for 14 days as Joel Fitzgerald contests his May firing.
From Washington Times
A nationwide search is underway to find a permeant police chief.
From Washington Times
Fardon’s resignation was effective immediately Monday and his longtime No. 2, Joel R. Levin, becomes the acting U.S. attorney until a permeant replacement is selected.
From Seattle Times
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.
