impervious

From Latin impervius (“that cannot be passed through”), from in- (“not”) + pervius (“letting things through”)

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪmˈpɜːvi.əs/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɪmˈpɝ.vi.əs/

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• Rhymes: -ɜː(r)viəs

impervious (comparative more impervious, superlative most impervious)

1. Unaffected or unable to be affected by.

   The man was completely impervious to the deception we were trying.

   • 1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 5, in The Celebrity:

     Although the Celebrity was almost impervious to sarcasm, he was now beginning to exhibit visible signs of uneasiness, the consciousness dawning upon him that his eccentricity was not receiving the ovation it merited.

2. Preventive of any penetration; impenetrable, impermeable, particularly of water.

   Although patchworked and sagging, the roof proved impervious to the weather.

3. Immune to damage or effect.

   The old car seemed to be impervious to the wear and tear of age.

• pervious

• imperviously
• imperviousness