impermeability.

The inability or strong resistance of a material or boundary to allowing a relevant substance to pass through it.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• impermeability to water
• impermeability of a barrier

On the page

Impermeability to water was tested rather than inferred from the coating’s smooth appearance.

The barrier’s impermeability depended on whether its joints remained intact.

Usage notes

Primary category: setting / description. Forms: Usually uncountable. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: spatial orientation, setting description, material description, contrast. Disciplines: descriptive writing, physical setting, spatial analysis. Commonness: uncommon.