semipermeable

American

[sem-ee-pur-mee-uh-buhl, sem-ahy-] / ˌsɛm iˈpɜr mi ə bəl, ˌsɛm aɪ- /

adjective

permeable only to certain small molecules.

a semipermeable membrane.

semipermeable British

/ ˌsɛmɪˈpɜːmɪəbəl /

adjective

(esp of a cell membrane) selectively permeable

"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

Other Word Forms

semipermeability noun

Etymology

Origin of semipermeable

First recorded in 1895–1900; semi- + permeable

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.

Researchers in ACS Energy Letters report creating a semipermeable membrane that harvests osmotic energy from salt gradients and converts it to electricity.

From Science Daily • Apr. 24, 2024

At the heart of every fuel cell lies a semipermeable membrane.

From Science Daily • Oct. 20, 2023

Producing outstanding kimchi requires a Goldilocks situation, Kim says: fermentation vessels need to be semipermeable rather than overly permeable or impermeable.

From Scientific American • May 16, 2023

Many producers simply remove the alcohol from normal wines by forcing the liquid through semipermeable membranes, spinning it, or boiling off most of the alcoholic components.

From Washington Post • Jan. 23, 2023

I am glad to have a semipermeable memory after getting into this.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023