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permed

UK[pɜːmd]US[pɜːrmd]
adj

(of hair) styled with a permanent wave

Morpheme Breakdown

perm
ed
perm

permanent wave

ed

adjective suffix

Etymology

The adjective 'permed' is a modern, clipped derivation from the noun 'perm', itself a shortened form of 'permanent wave'. The core concept of 'permanent' originates from the Latin permanens, meaning 'remaining to the end', which combines per- (through) and manere (to remain). In the early 20th century, 'permanent wave' was coined for a long-lasting hair curling technique, which was then colloquially shortened to 'perm'. The addition of the adjectival suffix '-ed' creates a descriptive term specifically for hair that has undergone this chemical styling process, succinctly capturing the state of having a set, artificial curl.

Analysis

Structure: perm (permanent wave) + ed (adjective suffix) - perm: A clipping of the word "permanent", from Latin permanens (lasting through). In this context, it refers specifically to a "permanent wave". - ed: A suffix of Old English origin used to form adjectives from nouns, indicating "having the characteristics of" or "provided with".

Examples

She had tightly permed hair in the 1980s.

His naturally straight hair looked completely different after it was permed.

The vintage photograph showed women with stylishly permed curls.

permed – Meaning, Etymology & Word Origin | OpenEtymology