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permissive

 - 5 dictionary results
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per⋅mis⋅sive

  [per-mis-iv]
Use permissive in a Sentence
–adjective
1. habitually or characteristically accepting or tolerant of something, as social behavior or linguistic usage, that others might disapprove or forbid.
2. granting or denoting permission: a permissive nod.
3. optional.
4. Genetics. (of a cell) permitting replication of a strand of DNA that could be lethal, as a viral segment or mutant gene.
Origin:
1425–75; late ME; see permission, -ive; cf. F permissif

Related forms:
per⋅mis⋅sive⋅ly, adverb
per⋅mis⋅sive⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. indulgent, lenient, lax.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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per·mis·sive   (pər-mĭs'ĭv)   
adj.  

  1. Granting or inclined to grant permission; tolerant or lenient.

  2. Permitting discretion; optional.

  3. Archaic Not forbidden; permitted.

per·mis'sive·ly adv., per·mis'sive·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

permissive 
1603, "allowing to pass through," from O.Fr. permissif, from L. permissus (see permission). In sense of "tolerant, liberal" it is first recorded 1956; by 1966 it had definite overtones of sexual freedom.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: per·mis·sive
Function: adjective
1 : based on or having permission <permissive occupancy> permissive user of the vehicle>
2 : granting permission or discretion (as to the court) permissive statute>
3 : not compulsory: as a : allowed or made under a standard, rule, or provision that permits discretion or an option —see also permissive intervention at INTERVENTION permissive presumption at PRESUMPTION —compare COMPULSORY b : allowed under modern rules of civil procedure although not arising from the same transaction or occurrence as the one at issue in the original claim permissive counterclaim> —see also permissive joinder at JOINDER —per·mis·sive·ly adverb —per·mis·sive·ness noun
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: per·mis·sive
Pronunciation: p&r-'mis-iv
Function: adjective
: supporting genetic replication (as of a virus)<permissive temperatures> <permissive monkey cells>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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