Standard Lemma guide

permeable

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