semipermeable

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/ˌsɛmiˈpɜː(ɹ)miəbəl//ˌsɛmaɪ-/

adjective

Permeable to some things and not to others, as a cell membrane which allows some molecules through but blocks other substances.

Similar
permeable
OriginEnglish permeable ← Latin sēmi- ← Proto-Indo-European *sēmi →
RareScrabble 21
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Meanings

adjectivesemipermeable (comparative more semipermeable, superlative most semipermeable)

comparative more semipermeable · superlative most semipermeable

  1. Permeable to some things and not to others, as a cell membrane which allows some molecules through but blocks other substances.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjective(of a membrane) selectively permeable

Similar
permeable
Also see
permeable

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*sem-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*sēmi
  3. Latinsēmi-
  4. Englishsemi-
  5. Englishpermeable
  6. Englishsemipermeable

From semi- + permeable.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian полупропусклив
  • полупропусклив (polupropuskliv)permeable to some things and not to others
Chinese Mandarin 半透的
  • 半透的 (bàntòu de)permeable to some things and not to others
Finnish puoliläpäisevä
  • puoliläpäiseväpermeable to some things and not to others
French semiperméable
  • semiperméablepermeable to some things and not to others
German halbdurchlässig
  • halbdurchlässigpermeable to some things and not to others
Greek ημιπερατός
  • ημιπερατός (imiperatós)permeable to some things and not to others
Hungarian szemipermeábilis
  • szemipermeábilispermeable to some things and not to others
Italian semipermeabile
  • semipermeabilepermeable to some things and not to others
Māori tukutaritari
  • tukutaritaripermeable to some things and not to others
Persian نیمهتراوا
  • نیمهتراوا (nimetarāvā)permeable to some things and not to others
Russian полупроница́емый
  • полупроница́емый (polupronicájemyj)permeable to some things and not to others
Spanish semipermeable
  • semipermeablepermeable to some things and not to others
Turkish yarı geçirgen, seçici geçirgen
  • yarı geçirgenpermeable to some things and not to others
  • seçici geçirgenpermeable to some things and not to others
Vietnamese bán thấm
  • bán thấmpermeable to some things and not to others
Cite this entry
APA

semipermeable. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/semipermeable

MLA

“semipermeable.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/semipermeable. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “semipermeable,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/semipermeable.

Source: semipermeable on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.