Definition of permissible

The origin of the word "permissible" can be traced back to the late 16th century when it first appeared in English as "permissible." The roots of this word lie in the Latin prefix "per" meaning "through" or "thoroughly," and the verb "mittere" meaning "to send" or "to let go." The Latin root "MISS" was coined from the contraction of "MIT-TEA-RE" where "TEA" stood for "per," and "RE" stood for "res," meaning "thing" or "matter." The ultimate origin of "MISS" is therefore "MIT-TEA-RE," which essentially translates to "to send forth." When the Latin prefix "PER" was added to the original Latin word "MISSUM," which was "missionem" meaning "mission," it became "PERMISSUM," which meant "that which is sent through" or "the act of sending thoroughly." Over time, this word evolved to "permissible" in the English language. Today, the meaning of "permissible" remains very close to its origins. The Dictionary of New Internationalist English defines it as "allowed, lawful, or acceptable according to certain rules, policies, or principles," which closely connects to the Latin meaning "the act of sending thoroughly." In essence, "permissible" means something that falls under the umbrella of the acceptable, allowed, or lawful boundaries set by particular rules, policies, or principles.