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Origin and history of perm

perm(n.)

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

also from 1927

Entries linking to perm

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.

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    chimera
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    afflict
    late 14c., "to cast down" (a sense now obsolete), from Old French aflicter, from Latin afflictare "to damage, harass, torment," frequentative of affligere (past participle afflictus) "to dash down, overthrow," from ad "to" (see ad-) + fligere (past participle flictus) "to strike.
    providence
    late 14c., "foresight, prudent anticipation, timely care or preparation," from Old French providence "divine providence, foresight" (12c.) and directly from Latin providentia "foresight, precaution, foreknowledge," abstract noun from present-participle stem of providere "look ahe
    rest
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    "all right, correct," 1839, only survivor of a slang fad in Boston and New York c. 1838-9 for abbreviations of common phrases with deliberate, jocular misspellings, such as K.G. for "no go," as if spelled know go; N.C. for enough said (" 'nuff ced"); K.Y. for no use ("know yuse")
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    1650s, in law, "a woman's property besides her dowry," from Medieval Latin paraphernalia (short for paraphernalia bona "paraphernal goods"), neuter plural of paraphernalis (adj.), from Late Latin parapherna, in Roman law "a woman's property besides her dowry," from Greek parapher
    interpret
    late 14c., "expound the meaning of, render clear or explicit," from Old French interpreter "explain; translate" (13c.) and directly from Latin interpretari "explain, expound, understand," from interpres "agent, translator," from inter "between" (see inter-) + second element proba

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