permeable

[ pur-mee-uh-buhl ]

adjective

1. capable of being permeated.

permeable

/ ˈpɜːmɪəbəl /

adjective

1. capable of being permeated, esp by liquids

permeable

/ pûr′mē-ə-bəl /

1. Capable of being passed through or permeated, especially by liquids or gases.

Derived Forms

• ˈpermeably, adverb
• ˈpermeableness, noun

Other Words From

• perme·a·ble·ness noun
• perme·a·bly adverb
• non·perme·a·ble adjective
• un·perme·a·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of permeable¹

1400–50; late Middle English < Late Latin permeābilis, equivalent to permeā ( re ) to permeate + -bilis -ble

Word History and Origins

Origin of permeable¹

C15: from Late Latin permeābilis, from Latin permeāre to pervade; see permeate

Example Sentences

He thinks creating a native habitat in his front yard and installing rain barrels and a permeable driveway in the face of record-breaking heat waves is a good place to start.

From Los Angeles Times

What’s under examination is the strange permeable barrier between life and death, and the way it appears to those who are left behind to deal with the fallout.

From New York Times

These areas have coarse-grained sand, gravel and cobbles that make for highly permeable pathways to replenish groundwater.

From Los Angeles Times

During the siege of Sarajevo in the 1990s, however, the hold was more permeable, and some assistance and trade reached the populations, helping to prevent famine.

From Salon

Trees and vegetation also contribute to more permeable soil that creates more opportunities for water to seep into the ground and replenish groundwater aquifers that have been sapped by agriculture, drought and overuse.

From Los Angeles Times

More About Permeable

What does permeable mean?

Permeable means able to be penetrated or passed through, especially by a liquid or gas.

The verb permeate means to penetrate, pass through, and often become widespread throughout something. Similar words are pervade and saturate.

Permeate can be used both in the context of the physical spread of something within a space and in more figurative ways. Water permeates the soil. Dye permeates fabric. An idea can permeate someone’s mind. In these cases, the fabric and the mind could be described as permeable.

The adjective permeating describes things that have permeated or have the ability to permeate, as in Social media has become a permeating aspect of our lives.

Example: Permeable surfaces should be sealed to prevent leaks.

Where does permeable come from?

The first records of the word permeable come from the 1400s. It comes from the Late Latin permeābilis, from the Latin verb permeāre, meaning “to pass through.”

Things that permeate often pass through some barrier or threshold—physical or otherwise—and then spread out. For this to happen, such barriers, thresholds, and surfaces must be permeable. In physical contexts, this often involves liquids and gases passing through a permeable membrane or surface layer. Permeable can also be applied to physical objects that can absorb intangible things, like flavors or smells.

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What are some other forms related to permeable?

• permeability (noun)
• permeate (verb)

What are some synonyms for permeable?

• porous

What are some words that share a root or word element with permeable? 

• permeation
• permeance
• permease

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing permeable?

• surface
• layer
• membrane
• material
• absorb
• liquid
• gas
• diffuse
• diffusion

How is permeable used in real life?

Permeable is most often used in scientific and technical contexts.

Opportunity of a dedicated streetcar right of way: permeable green surface beautifies and buffers sound. #Rotterdam pic.twitter.com/QQVMRjEvcb

— Jennifer Keesmaat (@jen_keesmaat) June 13, 2017

Map of the Principal Aquifers of the US. An aquifer is a geologic formation, a group of formations, or a part of a formation that contains sufficient saturated permeable material to yield significant quantities of water to wells and springs. Source: https://t.co/vafgbHr6ua pic.twitter.com/cRRPpfSNqy

— Simon Kuestenmacher (@simongerman600) May 26, 2020

New in Disaster Lit: Fate and Transport of Chemical Warfare Agents VX and HD Across a Permeable Layer of Paint or … https://t.co/la2wvvvMDA

— NLM Disaster Info (@NLM_DIMRC) March 14, 2017

 

 

Try using permeable!

Is permeable used correctly in the following sentence?

To penetrate this material, you need to use a permeable liquid.