Trivia Time

Who is credited with the saying "Nothing is permanent except change"?

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permanent

American  

[pur-muh-nuhnt] / ˈpɜr mə nənt /

adjective

1. existing perpetually; everlasting, especially without significant change.

   Synonyms:

   constant, invariable, stable

   Antonyms:

   inconstant, temporary

2. intended to exist or function for a long, indefinite period without regard to unforeseeable conditions.

   a permanent employee; the permanent headquarters of the United Nations.

3. long-lasting or nonfading.

   permanent pleating; permanent ink.

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noun

1. Also called permanent wave. a wave or curl that is set into the hair by the application of a special chemical preparation and that remains for a number of months.

permanent British  

/ ˈpɜːmənənt /

adjective

1. existing or intended to exist for an indefinite period

   a permanent structure

2. not expected to change for an indefinite time; not temporary

   a permanent condition

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Other Word Forms

• permanentness
  noun
• nonpermanent
  adjective
• pseudopermanent
  adjective
• quasi-permanent
  adjective
• subpermanent
  adjective
• unpermanent
  adjective
• nonpermanently
  adverb
• permanently
  adverb
• quasi-permanently
  adverb
• subpermanently
  adverb
• unpermanently
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of permanent

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin permanent-, stem of permanēns “remaining,” present participle of permanēre “to remain”; see per-, remain

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Explanation

Something that’s permanent is constant and lasting, as opposed to temporary. Think twice about writing in permanent marker or getting a tattoo — both are just about impossible to erase. If you wait around for something permanent to change, you'll be there for a long time — maybe forever. That's because the adjective permanent is used to describe something that continues on into the foreseeable future without shifting, moving, or changing at all. You might also come across the noun permanent, which refers to a chemical treatment used to curl your hair. But please know that "perms" aren't really cool anymore.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

permanent

The question for investors, though, is how much of this is noise, and to what extent does it signal a more permanent shift in the AI boom?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2026

But because Chowdhury was not subject to any formal performance measures at Defra, he was given a permanent job.

From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2026

Several medical studies have detected a link between taking one of the popular medications and nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION, a rare eye condition that causes vision loss that is often permanent.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 9, 2026

"They're signing off on the permanent destruction of the wildest place in Texas."

From Barron's ● Nov. 9, 2026

He had to get out of his imprisonment, and so he attempted to surgically remove himself—quickly and precisely, slicing away at his homeland, aware that it would be a permanent farewell, never to be undone.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

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Related Words

• durable
• enduring
• long-lasting
• perpetual
• stable

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