impervious

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɪmˈpɝ.vi.əs/ UK /ɪmˈpɜːvi.əs/ See IPA manual

Freq #30383

Meanings

1

adj
Not affected or influenced by something, such as criticism or emotion.

He seemed completely impervious to the insults his rivals threw at him.
2

adj
Not letting a substance, especially water, pass through.

The jacket is made of a material that is impervious to rain.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 adj · not letting a substance,... impermeable impenetrable

Opposites

pervious

Word family

Derived forms imperviouslyimperviousnessimpervium

Etymology

From Latin impervius (“that cannot be passed through”), from in- (“not”) + pervius (“letting things through”).

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# impervious

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ɪmˈpɝ.vi.əs/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪmˈpɜːvi.əs/
**Frequency rank:** 30383

## Meanings
1. Not affected or influenced by something, such as criticism or emotion.
2. Not letting a substance, especially water, pass through.

## Examples
- He seemed completely impervious to the insults his rivals threw at him.
- The jacket is made of a material that is impervious to rain.

## Antonyms
- pervious

## Derived Forms
- imperviously
- imperviousness
- impervium

## Etymology
From Latin impervius (“that cannot be passed through”), from in- (“not”) + pervius (“letting things through”).

## AI Etymology
Impervious is from Latin impervius (“that cannot be passed through”), from in- (“not”) + pervius (“letting things through”). In present-day use, it can mean not affected or influenced by something, such as criticism or emotion, or not letting a substance, especially water, pass through. Derived formations include imperviously, imperviousness, and impervium.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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