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Origin and history of permanent

permanent(adj.)

"enduring, unchanging, unchanged, lasting or intended to last indefinitely," early 15c., from Old French permanent, parmanent (14c.) or directly from Latin permanentem (nominative permanens) "remaining," present participle of permanere "endure, hold out, continue, stay to the end," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + manere "stay" (from PIE root *men- (3) "to remain").

Related: Permanently. As a noun meaning "permanent wave," by 1909. Of clothing, permanent press, in reference to a process designed to produce lasting creases in fabric," is attested from 1964.

also from early 15c.

Entries linking to permanent

impermanent(adj.)

1650s, from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + permanent.

perm(n.)

in hairdressing, 1927, a shortened form of permanent wave (1909; see permanent). The verb is recorded by 1928. Related: Permed.

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perdurable
"long-lasting; permanent, imperishable," mid-13c....
realty
The notion behind the word is the immobility, or the fixed, permanent nature of certain kinds of property, especially landed...
eternity
French eternité "eternity, perpetuity" (12c.), from Latin aeternitatem (nominative aeternitas), from aeternus "enduring, permanent...
salesperson
Permanent to a suitable person. Apply W. PORTER and SONS, Herald Office, Blackpool....
fix
Sense of "fasten, attach" is c. 1400; that of "to make (colors, etc.) fast or permanent" is from 1660s....To fix is to make fast, or permanent; to set immoveably, &c.: hence, to fix a watch, is to stop it, or prevent it from...
settle
Middle English setlen, "become set or fixed, stable or permanent; seat, place in a seat; sink down, come down," from Old...English setlan "place in a fixed or permanent position; cause to sit, place in a seat," from setl "a seat" (see settle (n...The sense of "establish a permanent residence" is recorded by 1620s; that of "plant with inhabitants, colonize" is by 1702...
firm
late 14c., ferm, "strong, steady" (of things), "permanent, enduring" (of agreements), "steadfast, steady" (of persons), "...
wave
"move back and forth," Old English wafian "to wave, fluctuate" (related to wæfre "wavering, restless, unstable"), from Proto-Germanic *wab- (source also of Old Norse vafra "to hover about," Middle High German waben "to wave, undulate"), possibly from PIE root *(h)uebh- "to move t
exercise
mid-14c., "condition of being in active operation; practice for the sake of training," from Old French exercice (13c.) "exercise, execution of power; physical or spiritual exercise," from Latin exercitium "training, physical exercise" (of soldiers, horsemen, etc.); "play;" in Med
hope
Old English hopian "have the theological virtue of Hope; hope for (salvation, mercy), trust in (God's word)," also "to have trust, have confidence; assume confidently or trust" (that something is or will be so), a word of unknown origin. Not the usual Germanic term for this, but

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