Word of the Day: Impervious

im·per·vi·ous

adjective \(ˌ)im-ˈpər-vē-əs\

: not allowing something (such as water or light) to enter or pass through

: not bothered or affected by something

1a : not allowing entrance or passage : impenetrable <a coat impervious to rain>

b : not capable of being damaged or harmed <a carpet impervious to rough treatment>

2: not capable of being affected or disturbed <impervious to criticism>

— im·per·vi·ous·ly adverb

— im·per·vi·ous·ness noun

Examples:

<the material for this coat is supposed to be impervious to rain>
<the rain forest is impervious to all but the most dedicated explorers>
… Berlin struck me, above all, as impervious to any political reactions whatever … —Stephen Spender, New York Times Magazine, 30 Oct.1977
He looked at her, impervious to her tears … —Jean Stafford, Children Are Bored on Sunday, (1945) 1953
… the trunk … is encased in so hard a bark, as to be almost impervious to a bullet … —Herman Melville, Omoo, 1847

Latin impervius, from in- + pervius pervious

First Known Use: 1640