semipermanent

American  

[sem-ee-pur-muh-nuhnt, sem-ahy-] / ˌsɛm iˈpɜr mə nənt, ˌsɛm aɪ- /

adjective

1. not quite permanent.

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Etymology

Origin of semipermanent

First recorded in 1885–90; semi- + permanent

Example Sentences

He said that, like many others without homes, finding semipermanent housing is a good start.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 17, 2025

In his brief tenure as a congressman, Santos’ farcical tales granted him a semipermanent position in the headlines as a cartoonesque villain.

From Slate • Apr. 25, 2024

Writing on the Project Syndicate blog, economist Dambisa Moyo argued that “deglobalization” has shattered the low labor and production costs of recent decades, making inflation a semipermanent fixture.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 28, 2022

You will receive payments on a semipermanent or permanent basis, which is dependent on the extent of the injuries that you suffered.

From Encyclopedia.com • Jun. 12, 2018

Downtown, near a subway entrance, sat a semipermanent wooden booth decorated with bunting and pennants and flags manned by neatly dressed youth volunteers in paper hats.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee