permission
UK[pəˈmɪʃn]US[pərˈmɪʃn]
n
The act of allowing someone to do something, or the fact of being allowed to do something.
n
An official written statement allowing someone to do something.
Morpheme Breakdown
per
miss
ion
per
through, thoroughly
miss
send, let go
ion
action or state
Etymology
The word "permission" entered English in the 15th century from the Latin permissio, which itself derives from the verb permittere, meaning "to let go through, to allow." This Latin verb is a compound of the prefix per- ("through, thoroughly") and mittere ("to send, to let go"). The core logic is one of sending something through a barrier or releasing control. Over time, the literal sense of "sending through" evolved into the abstract concept of granting consent or authorization, signifying the state or act of allowing something to proceed. The suffix -ion solidifies this action or resulting state into a noun, giving us the modern meaning of formal consent or leave.
Analysis
Structure: per (through, thoroughly) + miss (send, let go) + ion (action or state)
- per: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "through," "thoroughly," "completely."
- miss: Latin origin, from the root of the verb mittere (to send, to let go). In English, it appears in words like "mission" and "dismiss."
- ion: Latin suffix via French, used to form nouns indicating an action, process, or state.
Examples
You must ask for permission before using the equipment.
He gave me permission to leave early.
The film was shown by special permission of the director.