permanently

Permanently is an adverb meaning lasting for an indefinitely long time or forever, or in a way that will not revert to a previous state. It is used to describe changes, conditions, or placements that are intended to endure rather than be temporary. In legal, medical, or everyday contexts, it signals a long-term or irreversible effect: for example, “The policy change will permanently alter the eligibility rules,” “The device is permanently implanted,” or “They relocated permanently.” It can also describe ongoing statuses, such as permanent residency.

Etymology: Permanently derives from the adjective permanent, which comes from Latin permanens, the present participle of permanere “to endure, stay through.” The suffix -ly forms the adverb in English.

Nuances: Permanently often implies irreversibility or a high degree of certainty about duration, but not all uses guarantee absolute permanence; some changes described as permanent could be reversed in changing circumstances. The term typically carries a formal or technical tone and is common in law, medicine, policy, and official communications. In casual speech it is used for emphasis about long duration.

Related terms: permanent, permanence, temporarily, semipermanent.