permeability

American  

[pur-mee-uh-bil-i-tee] / ˌpɜr mi əˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

1. the property or state of being permeable.

2. Also called magnetic permeability.  Electricity.  a measure of the change in magnetic induction produced when a magnetic material replaces air, expressed as a coefficient or a set of coefficients that multiply the components of magnetic intensity to give the components of magnetic induction.

3. Geology.  the capability of a porous rock or sediment to permit the flow of fluids through its pore spaces.

4. Aeronautics.  the rate at which gas is lost through the envelope of an aerostat, usually expressed as the number of liters thus diffused in one day through a square meter.

5. Nautical.  the capacity of a space in a vessel to absorb water, measured with reference to its temporary or permanent contents and expressed as a percentage of the total volume of the space.

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permeability British  

/ ˌpɜːmɪəˈbɪlɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being permeable

2.  μ.  a measure of the response of a medium to a magnetic field, expressed as the ratio of the magnetic flux density in the medium to the field strength; measured in henries per metre See also relative permeability magnetic constant

3. civil engineering the rate of diffusion of a fluid under pressure through soil

4. the rate at which gas diffuses through the surface of a balloon or airship, usually expressed in litres per square metre per day

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permeability Scientific  

/ pûr′mē-ə-bĭl′ĭ-tē /

1. The ability of a substance to allow another substance to pass through it, especially the ability of a porous rock, sediment, or soil to transmit fluid through pores and cracks. Geologic permeability is usually measured in millidarcies.

2. See more at darcy

3. Magnetic permeability.

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Usage

What does permeability mean? Permeability is the quality or state of being permeable—able to be penetrated or passed through, especially by a liquid or gas.The verb permeate means to penetrate, pass through, and often become widespread throughout something. Similar words are pervade and saturate.Permeate can be used both in the context of the physical spread of something within a space and in more figurative ways. Water permeates the soil. Dye permeates fabric. An idea can permeate someone’s mind. In these cases, the fabric and the mind could be described as permeable.Things that are permeable have different levels of permeability. For example, certain materials may easily absorb liquid, while others may only allow small amounts of liquid to permeate their surface.The word permeability is used in several more specific ways in the context of ships, aircraft, electricity, and geology.Example: This type of stone was chosen for its permeability—it absorbs water.

Other Word Forms

• nonpermeability noun

Etymology

Origin of permeability

First recorded in 1750–60; perme(able) + -ability ( def. )

Example Sentences

Because arginine is already approved for clinical use in Japan and shows good brain permeability, it may bypass multiple early hurdles that often slow traditional drug development.

From Science Daily

Enhancing the drug’s skin permeability could make treatments more efficient, reduce application frequency, and possibly lower side effects related to overuse.

From Science Daily

They found increased permeability of the small intestine, most likely due to intestinal inflammation.

From Science Daily

"We asked ourselves, how do we do better with this tradeoff between permeability and selectivity?"

From Science Daily

In celiac disease, there's debate about the early stages of increased permeability.

From Science Daily