What does permissible mean?
Permissible is a formal adjective meaning allowed, permitted, or acceptable according to a law, regulation, policy, or other explicit restriction. It is especially common in legal and administrative language, where it identifies an action, limit, use, or condition that falls within what the relevant rules authorize. For example, a product label may explain which uses of a chemical are permissible, while a planning document may distinguish permissible building heights from prohibited construction. The word can also apply more broadly to conduct that custom or an organization’s standards accept. Unlike permissive, which suggests tolerance or leniency, permissible focuses on whether something is formally allowed. It is consequently a useful term when precision matters and a simple reference to permission would sound too informal or vague.
adjectivePermissible means allowed or permitted by law, regulation, custom, or a particular set of rules. It describes something that is regarded as acceptable or within the permitted limits.
- Allowed or permitted; within the limits of what is lawful, acceptable, or authorized.
"The committee decided that the proposed changes were permissible under the existing regulations."
"The material used in the display is permissible only when it does not obstruct the exit."
"The judge considered the witness's testimony permissible under the court's rules."
Permissible comes from the same Latin root as permit and permission: something is permissible when it is officially allowed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does permissible come from?
Permissible derives from the Latin verb permittere, meaning “to allow” or “to permit,” from per-, meaning “through,” and mittere, meaning “to send.” Its development in English follows the related forms permit, permission, and permissive. In legal and formal usage, permissible has come to emphasize what is authorized within defined rules or limits.
Related word forms
How permissible is actually used
Permissible is a formal word commonly used in legal, regulatory, academic, and institutional contexts. It is more precise than simply saying that something is allowed because it often refers to compliance with a stated rule or limit.
Easily confused with permissible
Permissible means allowed within specified rules, whereas permissive describes an attitude or approach that is tolerant or lenient.
Permitted is a direct word-form equivalent of permissible, while permissible often emphasizes that something conforms to a rule, limit, or standard.