permanent

Etymology

Used in English since 15th century, from Middle French permanent, from Latin permanens, from permanēo (“I stay through”).

adj

1. Without end, eternal.
   Nothing in this world is truly permanent.
2. Lasting for an indefinitely long time.
   The countries are now locked in a permanent state of conflict.

noun

1. A chemical hair treatment imparting or removing curliness, whose effects typically last for a period of weeks; a perm.
   She had pewter-coloured hair set in a ruthless permanent, a hard beak and large moist eyes with the sympathetic expression of wet stones. 1943, Raymond Chandler, The High Window, Penguin, published 2005, page 8
2. (linear algebra, combinatorics) Given an n×n matrix a_ij,, the sum over all permutations π, of ∏ᵢ₌₁ⁿa_iπ(i).
3. (collectible card games) A card whose effects persist beyond the turn on which it is played.

verb

1. (transitive, dated) To perm (the hair).