Permian

adjective

Perm·​ian ˈpər-mē-ən How to pronounce Permian (audio) ˈper- How to pronounce Permian (audio)
: 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.
As such, its planned Permian capital investments this year are coming down by $150 million. Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 6 May 2025 The seesawing weather extremes could help explain Permian geological records that show periods of heavy flooding and an absence of coal deposits, suggesting forests had vanished. Bypaul Voosen, science.org, 12 Sep. 2024 But the push to bolster fossil fuel production is heightening concerns among oil field workers and first responders about the mounting dangers facing workers and Permian residents. Saul Elbein, The Hill, 3 Mar. 2025 Guadalupe National Park has eight of the ten highest peaks in Texas, the world’s most extensive Permian fossil reef, and 80 hiking trails through unique geological formations, like thousand-foot cliffs and rocks with dark water-ripple streaks. Alex Temblador, Outside Online, 23 Sep. 2024 Known as the Great Dying, the mass extinction that ended the Permian geological period was the worst of the five global catastrophic events in Earth’s history, more devastating, than the one caused by a giant asteroid that spelled doom for the dinosaurs. Katie Hunt, CNN, 12 Sep. 2024 The park is known for its extensive Permian fossil reef and its high peaks. Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2024 Antitrust advocates rightly note that the Exxon-Pioneer merger means the combined entity will control over 50% of the Permian oil field, but oil is, by definition, a global marketplace, and the Permian oil field is equivalent to just 5% of global production. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 7 Dec. 2023 Pioneer spent more than $10 billion buying two other Permian producers, Parsley Energy and DoublePoint Energy, in 2021. Clifford Krauss, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2023

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Permian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Permian. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

Permian

adjective
Perm·​ian ˈpər-mē-ən How to pronounce Permian (audio)
: 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

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