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permissive

[ per-mis-iv ]
/ pərˈmɪs ɪv /
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See synonyms for: permissive / permissiveness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
habitually or characteristically accepting or tolerant of something, as social behavior or linguistic usage, that others might disapprove or forbid.
granting or denoting permission: a permissive nod.
left to one's choice; not mandatory: This legislation is permissive and merely authorizes counties to levy a tax if in the county's best interest.
Genetics. (of a cell) permitting replication of a strand of DNA that could be lethal, as a viral segment or mutant gene.
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Origin of permissive

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Middle French permissif “granting permission”; see origin at permission, -ive

OTHER WORDS FROM permissive

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use permissive in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for permissive

permissive
/ (pəˈmɪsɪv) /

adjective
tolerant; lenientpermissive parents
indulgent in matters of sexa permissive society
granting permission
archaic not obligatory

Derived forms of permissive

permissively, adverbpermissiveness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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