Word
permeability
Phoneticsper·me·abil·i·ty
US/pɝˌmiəˈbɪɫɪti/
UK/pˌɜːməbˈɪlɪti/
Definition
n. the ability of a material to allow something like water or gas to pass through it. It is often used to describe how easily a liquid moves through soil or rock.
n. the property of a material that allows the passage of a fluid or gas through its pores or interstices. Often used in geology to describe the capacity of a rock to transmit fluids.
Examples
“The high permeability of the sand allows water to flow through it easily.”
“Engineers must test the permeability of the soil before deciding where to build the new foundation.”
“The geological survey revealed that the aquifer's permeability was significantly higher than previously estimated, suggesting a much greater potential for water extraction during the dry season.”
Examples
simple
“The high permeability of the sand allows water to flow through it easily.”
contextual
“Engineers must test the permeability of the soil before deciding where to build the new foundation.”
complex
“The geological survey revealed that the aquifer's permeability was significantly higher than previously estimated, suggesting a much greater potential for water extraction during the dry season.”
Real-World Examples
“When added to organic molecules, it can improve metabolic stability and membrane permeability, making it highly valuable in drug development.” “By analyzing how the dye moved, the AI could estimate both the speed of the fluid and the permeability of the surrounding brain tissue.” Etymology
From French perméabilité, equivalent to permeable + -ity.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
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Scan code
englishreference.com/q/permeability