permanent

[ pur-muh-nuhnt ]
See synonyms for: permanentpermanentspermanently on Thesaurus.com

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

  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.

  1. long-lasting or nonfading: permanent pleating; permanent ink.

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.

Origin of permanent

1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin permanent-, stem of permanēns “remaining,” present participle of permanēre “to remain”; see per-, remain

Other words for permanent

Opposites for permanent

Other words from permanent

  • per·ma·nent·ly, adverb
  • per·ma·nent·ness, noun
  • non·per·ma·nent, adjective
  • non·per·ma·nent·ly, adverb
  • pseu·do·per·ma·nent, adjective
  • qua·si-per·ma·nent, adjective
  • qua·si-per·ma·nent·ly, adverb
  • sub·per·ma·nent, adjective
  • sub·per·ma·nent·ly, adverb
  • un·per·ma·nent, adjective
  • un·per·ma·nent·ly, adverb

Words Nearby permanent

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use permanent in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for permanent

permanent

/ (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

Origin of permanent

1
C15: from Latin permanens continuing, from permanēre to stay to the end, from per- through + manēre to remain

Derived forms of permanent

  • permanently, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012