impermeable

Name: impermeable, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ɪmˈpɜːmɪəbəl/

//ɪmˈpɜːmɪəbəl// adj

By PlainSpell · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“impermeable” is uncommon English (frequency #57,451 among 17,902 “I” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#57,451
frequency rank, English: 17,902
“I” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Impossible to permeate.

Key facts for impermeable
Property	Value
Headword	impermeable
Language	English
Part of speech	Adjective
IPA	/ɪmˈpɜːmɪəbəl/
Letters	11
Frequency rank	#57,451
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “impermeable” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). impermeable lands here:

#57,451

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

impermeable is uncommon English at frequency #57,451 among 17,902 “I” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ɪmˈpɜːmɪəbəl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

impermeable has no tracked misspelling variants, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Apparently from im- + permeable. Compare French imperméable, from Latin impermeābilis, from im- + permeābilis (“permeable”). The correct English form is impermeable, spelled I-M-P-E-R-M-E-A-B-L-E.

Definition

1
Impossible to permeate.
2
Not allowing passage, especially of liquids; waterproof.

Etymology

Apparently from im- + permeable. Compare French imperméable, from Latin impermeābilis, from im- + permeābilis (“permeable”).

Synonyms

nonpermeable sealed

Antonyms

permeable

This word in other languages

impermeable(Español)imperméable(Français)dicht(Deutsch)impermeável(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "impermeable"?

"impermeable" is spelled I-M-P-E-R-M-E-A-B-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪmˈpɜːmɪəbəl/.

What does "impermeable" mean?

As an adjective, "impermeable" means: Impossible to permeate.

How do you pronounce "impermeable"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "impermeable" is /ɪmˈpɜːmɪəbəl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "impermeable"?

Apparently from im- + permeable. Compare French imperméable, from Latin impermeābilis, from im- + permeābilis (“permeable”). See the full etymology section above for more details.

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “impermeable”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is I-M-P-E-R-M-E-A-B-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ɪmˈpɜːmɪəbəl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.