- (esp of a cell membrane) selectively permeable
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
sem•i•per•me•a•ble /ˌsɛmiˈpɜrmiəbəl, ˌsɛmaɪ-/USA pronunciation
adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Biology, Physicsallowing only certain small molecules to pass through:a semipermeable membrane.
sem•i•per•me•a•ble
(sem′ē pûr′mē ə bəl, sem′ī-),USA pronunciation adj.
sem′i•per′me•a•bil′i•ty, n.
- Biology, Physicspermeable only to certain small molecules:a semipermeable membrane.
- semi- + permeable 1895–1900
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
semipermeable /ˌsɛmɪˈpɜːmɪəbəl/ adj
'semipermeable' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
colloid
- crystalloid
- dialysis
- haemodialysis
- osmosis
- osmotic pressure
- peritoneal dialysis
- reverse osmosis
- cell
- cell membrane
- chemosmosis
- dialyzate
- dialyzer
- diaphragm
- diffusate