permanent

1 of 2

adjective

per·​ma·​nent ˈpər-mə-nənt How to pronounce permanent (audio)
ˈpərm-nənt
1
: continuing or enduring without fundamental or marked change : stable
the museum's permanent art collection
an accident causing permanent injury
2
a
: not easily removed, washed away, or erased : indelible sense 1a
permanent stains
b
: making marks that cannot easily be removed : indelible sense 1b
labeling boxes with permanent markers
permanentness noun

permanent

2 of 2

noun

: a long-lasting hair wave produced by mechanical and chemical means

called also permanent wave

Choose the Right Synonym for permanent

lasting, permanent, durable, stable mean enduring for so long as to seem fixed or established.

lasting implies a capacity to continue indefinitely.

a book that left a lasting impression on me

permanent adds usually the implication of being designed or planned to stand or continue indefinitely.

permanent living arrangements

durable implies power to resist destructive agencies.

durable fabrics

stable implies lastingness because of resistance to being overturned or displaced.

a stable government

Examples of permanent in a Sentence

Adjective She made a permanent home in this country. Prolonged exposure to the sun can cause permanent skin damage. The museum's permanent collection includes works of art from the 18th century. The transcripts will serve as a permanent record of the proceedings.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
But any argument for a coaching change must include the risk-reward calculation: What’s the likelihood of hiring someone who represents an indisputable upgrade, especially without a permanent athletic director to manage the search? Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2024 The financial crisis of 2008, when home values imploded, and earlier changes to the mortgage industry in the 1970s and 1980s, including the creation of Freddie Mac and the introduction of the adjustable rate mortgage, also set off permanent transformations. Debra Kamin, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024 The thousand-yard stare in her eyes is in danger of becoming permanent. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Mar. 2024 Five artists have been shortlisted to design London’s first permanent HIV/AIDS memorial, which is set to be unveiled in 2026. Ella Feldman, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024 Other effects include permanent changes in color perception, distortion of vision, light sensitivity, and headaches. George Dvorsky / Gizmodo, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024 Corado has lived in the United States for 35 years and is a legal permanent resident; her father and sisters are in the D.C. area, as is her husband’s family. Rachel Weiner, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 Both Hawaii and Arizona are already on permanent standard time. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 But the city had no strategy to move people into permanent housing, according to the paper, and the camp swelled to several hundred people. Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2024
Noun
There is always a temptation to make the temporary permanent, which is why the peace government must prioritize elections. Ashraf Ghani, Foreign Affairs, 4 May 2021 Men’s basketball: Colin Castleton injury (5:10) Football: Texas & Oklahoma early jump to SEC (8:47) 3 permanents? Orlando Sentinel, 16 Feb. 2023 The company is also making two other benefits created during the pandemic permanent: the $240 annual entertainment credit towards services like NBC's Peacock or The New York Times, and the $300 annual credit toward an Equinox gym membership or digital fitness class subscription. Ken Sweet, Star Tribune, 1 July 2021 If hotness is an effort to make the ephemeral permanent, then illness is a constant reminder of how nothing is forever. Michelle Santiago Cortés, refinery29.com, 26 June 2021 The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is working on making three Slow Streets closed to through traffic during the pandemic permanent: Page, Shotwell and Sanchez streets. Mallory Moench, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Feb. 2021 The salon’s services include coloring, permanents, hairstyling, highlights and shampoos. Vincent T. Davis, ExpressNews.com, 22 Mar. 2020 Turning loanee signings into permanents has been of top priority. SI.com, 12 July 2018 The decision makes permanent an earlier injunction that had temporarily blocked the law. Washington Post, 18 June 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'permanent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French parmanant, from Latin permanent-, permanens, present participle of permanēre to endure, from per- throughout + manēre to remain — more at per-, mansion

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of permanent was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near permanent

Cite this Entry

“Permanent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/permanent. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

permanent

1 of 2 adjective
per·​ma·​nent ˈpərm(-ə)-nənt How to pronounce permanent (audio)
: lasting or intended to last for a very long time : not temporary or changing
permanence
-nən(t)s
noun
permanency
-nən-sē
noun
permanently adverb
permanentness noun

permanent

2 of 2 noun
: a long-lasting hair wave produced by mechanical and chemical means

Medical Definition

permanent

adjective
per·​ma·​nent ˈpərm(-ə)-nənt How to pronounce permanent (audio)
: of, relating to, or being a permanent tooth
permanent dentition

More from Merriam-Webster on permanent

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