pervious

AI In plain words

Writing a short explanation…

Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.

pervious

/ˈpɜː.vɪ.əs/ UK
/ˈpɜɹ.vi.əs/ US

Rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)viəs

Where it comes from

Borrowed from Latin pervius (“having a passage through; passable, penetrable, traversable”) + English -ous (suffix denoting the presence of a quality in any degree (typically an abundance)). Pervius is derived from per- (prefix denoting doing something all the way through or entirely) + via (“road, street; method, way; (figurative) course, route”) + -us (suffix forming adjectives)

adjective more pervious · most pervious

Often followed by to: capable of being penetrated by another body or substance, such as air or water; admitting passage. Near-synonym: porous
Similar: penetrable, permeable, perviable, porous · Opposite: impervious, impenetrable, impermeable, unpervious
figuratively Capable of being seen through; open to being examined; patent, unconcealed. [I]n their [i.e., the Egyptians'] ceremonies they uſually made three acclamations to the unknovvn Darkneſs; that is, to God, vvhoſe ſecrets are pervious to no eye, vvhoſe dvvelling is in a light that is not to be diſcerned, vvhoſe myſteries are not to be underſtood by us, and vvhoſe Sacraments are o
Similar: perspicuous, transparent · Opposite: impervious, unpervious
figuratively Capable of being penetrated mentally; intelligible, understandable. […] Saint Auguſtine for ſharpe inſight, and concluſive judgement, in expoſition of places of Scripture, vvhich he alvvaies makes ſo liquid, and pervious, […] hath ſcarce been equalled therein, by any of the VVriters in the Church of God, […]
Similar: perspicuous, transparent · Opposite: impervious, unpervious
figuratively Of a person, etc.: susceptible to being influenced by arguments, ideas, etc.; impressionable, tractable.
obsolete Capable of penetrating or permeating. The bodies of the Saints, […] have an agility to move from place to place vvith ſpeed and ſubtility like light; to have their vvay free and pervious through all places, and can penetrate vvhereſoever they pleaſe.
Similar: pervading
obsolete Of a body structure (especially the nostril of a bird): having a hole, perforate; also, wide open. The noſtrils are very large, and pervious: the vvhole plumage is duſky, daſhed vvith purple and green: legs of a dirty fleſh-color: clavvs black.

Talk about this word

Cite this

MLA

"pervious." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/pervious. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

pervious. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/pervious

Chicago

"pervious." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/pervious.

BibTeX

@misc{pervious_2026,
  title = {pervious},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/pervious},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}