Permian

adjective

Perm·ian ˈpər-mē-ən ˈper-

: of, relating to, or being the last period of the Paleozoic era or the corresponding system of rocks see Geologic Time Table

Permian noun

Examples of Permian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The worst occured some 252 million years ago at the end of the Permian period. — Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025 Meanwhile, in the Permian, natural gas dynamics remain tied to oil activity. — Bryce Erickson, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026 Complex food chains, featuring numerous predatory marine reptiles and amphibians, were established just three million years after the end-Permian mass extinction. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Nov. 2025 Diamondback said its Permian oil production averaged 521,000 barrels per day in the first quarter, which was above even the high point of its guidance at 512,000 barrels. — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 4 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for Permian

Word History

Etymology

Perm, former province in eastern Russia

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of Permian was in 1841

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

Permiak

Permian

per mill

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Permian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Permian. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

Permian

adjective

Perm·ian ˈpər-mē-ən

: of, relating to, or being the latest period of the Paleozoic era of geological history or the corresponding system of rocks see geologic time

Permian noun

Permian

adjective

Examples of Permian in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on Permian

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perfunctory

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes