perm

¹

[ purm ]

noun

1. permanent ( def 4 ).

verb (used with object)

1. to give (the hair) a permanent.

verb (used without object)

1. to apply a permanent to the hair.

Perm

²

[ purm, pairm; Russian pyerm ]

noun

1. a city in the E Russian Federation in Europe, on the Kama River.

perm

¹

/ pɜːm /

noun

1. short for permutation

Perm

²

/ pjermj /

noun

1. a port in W Russia, on the Kama River: oil refinery; university (1916). Pop: 984 000 (2005 est) Former name (1940–62)Molotov

perm

³

/ pɜːm /

noun

1. a hairstyle produced by treatment with heat, chemicals, etc which gives long-lasting waves, curls, or other shaping Also called (esp formerly)permanent wave
2. the act of giving or receiving such a hairstyle

verb

1. tr to give a perm to (hair)

Word History and Origins

Origin of perm¹

First recorded in 1925–30; by shortening

Example Sentences

I get the sense that many young people just think of the 1980s as an era of bad perms, big shoulder pads and John Hughes movies.

From Time

One of the documentary’s more innocuous revelations is that Ross’s signature curls, a not-quite-afro, were achieved with a perm.

From Washington Post

After that, an employer can ask for permission to offer the immigrant a permanent job under the Department of Labor's PERM certification program.

From Ars Technica

A car mechanic who goes by the name “Big Perm” said he noticed a change in the neighborhood.

From The Daily Beast

Big Perm worries that the lack of policing the “small fry” will lead to more crimes by “big fry.”

From The Daily Beast

“Seeking a long-term (perm) 24/7 slave, for absolute ownership/slavery,” his profile on Collarpsace.com read.

From The Daily Beast

My sisters opened a beauty parlor in their bedroom, curling hair with crisscrossed bobby pins and calling it a perm.

From The Daily Beast

I was wearing a perm, so I just had to go to the back of my neck and I had a fist full of sweat.

From The Daily Beast

There, to his great annoyance, he found that no boat started for Perm till the following day at twelve o'clock.

From Project Gutenberg

He went to the office of the company whose boats plied between Nijni-Novgorod and Perm.

From Project Gutenberg

At Perm travelers from Siberia resell their vehicles, more or less damaged by the long journey across the plains.

From Project Gutenberg

The hood was pulled up, as it was insupport-ably hot, and at twelve o'clock the tarantass left Perm in a cloud of dust.

From Project Gutenberg

Long trains laden with freight from Perm, blocked the way and delayed us.

From Project Gutenberg