perm
1 Americannoun
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
noun
-
Also called (esp formerly): permanent wave. a hairstyle produced by treatment with heat, chemicals, etc which gives long-lasting waves, curls, or other shaping
-
the act of giving or receiving such a hairstyle
verb
noun
noun
Etymology
Origin of perm
First recorded in 1925–30; by shortening
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But when she arrives at Iona’s apartment, Andie is shocked to see that a coiffed perm, light makeup, a sensible suit and a string of pearls have replaced her friend’s beehives and gelled spikes.
From Salon
She immediately suggested they have ChatGPT generate a photo of him with a perm.
She ate more black beans, lathered her scalp with French soap and opted for root perms.
“Mrs. Carter put a perm in my hair in ‘79.
From Los Angeles Times
He quickly apologizes for his hair — in all of its shaggy, slightly curled glory — as he combs his fingers through it: “I’ve got a perm. Life is good.”
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
