Permissible

Permissible is an adjective used to describe something that is allowed by laws, rules, regulations, or standards. When an action or condition is permissible, it means it is not prohibited and may be undertaken within the context of a particular policy or framework. The term appears in formal, professional, and legal language as well as in everyday speech to indicate that a given option is within what is acceptable.

Etymology: Permissible derives from Latin permittere, meaning “to let, to allow,” via Old French permisible. The English form uses the suffix -ible to indicate “capable of being permitted.” The spelling features the familiar double s and ends with -ble, reflecting its Latin origin.

Usage notes: In law and policy, permissible actions are those that do not violate rules; they may be optional, required, or simply allowed. The opposite is impermissible or prohibited. In safety and occupational contexts, terms such as permissible exposure limit denote regulatory thresholds for substances. In logic or argumentation, a permissible inference or assumption is one that follows legitimately from the premises. In computing and data contexts, permissible values describe the allowed set of data inputs or statuses.

Examples: It is permissible to enter the building after security screening. Personal devices are permissible under staff guidelines. The policy sets a permissible range of temperatures for storage. Related terms include impermissible (not permissible) and various synonyms such as allowed, acceptable, and lawful.