DEFINITIONS

permissive

[ per-mis-iv ]
/ pərˈmɪs ɪv /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR permissive 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.
optional.
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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Words related to permissive

privilege, extravagance, kindness, leniency, satiation, understanding, patience, lenience, fulfillment, appeasement, toleration, service, endurance, favor, pleasing, tolerance, attention, partiality, courtesy, excess

Words nearby permissive

permic, permie, permillage, permissible, permission, permissive, permissivism, permit, permittivity, permonosulfuric acid, permutate

Origin of permissive

1425–75; late Middle English; see permission, -ive; compare French permissif

OTHER WORDS FROM permissive

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for permissiveness

British Dictionary definitions for permissiveness

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