adj · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈpɜːmiəbəl/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Canada, General-American:/ˈpɝmiəbəl/
Australian:/ˈpɜːmiəbəl/
New-Zealand:/ˈpøːmiəbəl/
CMU ARPABET:P ER1 M IY2 AH0 B AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Able to be permeated; absorbing or allowing the passage of fluids.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
permeable strata
Rainwater sinks through permeable rock to form an underground reservoir.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: water-permeable
Antonyms: impermeable, impervious, nonpermeable
2
adj
Meaning 2
Allowing the passage of persons, information, or other things, especially when such passage occurs despite hopes or expectations otherwise.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly
Examples
permeable borders
permeable boundaries
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: penetrable
Antonyms: impermeable, impenetrable, nonpermeable
3
adjective
Meaning 3
allowing fluids or gases to pass or diffuse through
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
permeable membranes
rock that is permeable by water
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: impermeable
History
Etymology
From Middle English permeable, permiable, from Latin permeābilis.
Across languages
Translations
28 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Afrikaans:
deurdringbaar
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Afrikaans:
deurlaatbaar
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Bulgarian:
пропускащ
(propuskašt)
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Bulgarian:
пропусклив
(propuskliv)
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Bulgarian:
проницаем
(pronicaem)
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Bulgarian:
промокаем
(promokaem)
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Catalan:
permeable
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Chinese Mandarin:
可滲透的 /可渗透的
(kě shèntòu de)
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Chinese Mandarin:
透水的
(tòushuǐ de)
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Czech:
propustný
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Czech:
prostupný
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Czech:
savý
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Dutch:
doordringbaar
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Finnish:
läpäisevä
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
French:
perméable
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Galician:
permeable
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Greek:
διαπερατός
(diaperatós)
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Irish:
tréscaoilteach
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Latin:
permeābilis
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Lithuanian:
pralaidus
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Polish:
przemakalny
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Portuguese:
permeável
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Romanian:
permeabil
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Russian:
дышащий
(dyšaščij)
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Russian:
проницаемый
(pronicajemyj)
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Russian:
пропускающий
(propuskajuščij)
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Spanish:
permeable
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids
Swedish:
genomsläpplig
— that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids