perm

1 of 2

noun

ˈpərm 

: permanent

perm

2 of 2

verb

permed; perming; perms

transitive verb

: to give (hair) a permanent wave

Examples of perm in a Sentence

Noun

She got a perm last week.

Verb

She got her hair permed at the salon.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Between the football, the success and the fashionable perm, that was the kind of popularity that Machtig Maus (Mighty Mouse) had. — James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026

Randall got her first perm at seven years old and consistently relaxed her hair for nearly five decades. — Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 29 May 2026

Verb

By a young age, Black girls are already perming [relaxing] their hair. — Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

The 60-year-old had permed her hair every six weeks for 30 years before realizing that chemically straightening her hair had become a time-consuming and self-imposed obligation. — Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 29 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1927, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1928, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

perm

1 of 2 noun

ˈpərm 

: permanent entry 2

perm

2 of 2 verb

: to give (hair) a permanent