permissive









permissive


permissive [per-mis-iv] SynonymsExamplesWord Origin adjective

  1. habitually or characteristically accepting or tolerant of something, as social behavior or linguistic usage, that others might disapprove or forbid.
  2. granting or denoting permission: a permissive nod.
  3. optional.
  4. Genetics. (of a cell) permitting replication of a strand of DNA that could be lethal, as a viral segment or mutant gene.

Origin of permissive 1425–75; late Middle English; see permission, -ive; compare French permissif Related formsper·mis·sive·ly, adverbper·mis·sive·ness, nounnon·per·mis·sive, adjectivenon·per·mis·sive·ly, adverbnon·per·mis·sive·ness, nounun·per·mis·sive, adjectiveSynonyms for permissive 1. indulgent, lenient, lax. Examples from the Web for permissively Historical Examples of permissively

  • These take thought, at least ostensibly or permissively, for the temporal welfare of the laity, as well as for their own.

    The Theory of the Leisure Class

    Thorstein Veblen

  • British Dictionary definitions for permissively permissive adjective

    1. tolerant; lenientpermissive parents
    2. indulgent in matters of sexa permissive society
    3. granting permission
    4. archaic not obligatory

    Derived Formspermissively, adverbpermissiveness, noun Word Origin and History for permissively permissive adj.

    c.1600, “allowing to pass through,” from Old French permissif, from Latin permiss-, past participle stem of permittere “to let go, let pass, let loose” (see permit (v.)). In sense of “tolerant, liberal” it is first recorded 1956; by 1966 it had definite overtones of sexual freedom. Earlier it meant “permitted, allowed” (early 15c.). Related: Permissively; permissiveness.

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