adjective

impermeable

im-PUR-mee-uh-bul/ɪmˈpɜːrmiəbl/

Closed to the passage of fluid through its substance.

The impermeable rubber holds water above the glass while keeping its interior dry.

A piece of smooth waterproof yellow rubber fabric is stretched taut and level across the mouth of a transparent empty glass.

Etymology

imLatinnot

+permeLatinto pass through

+ableLatincapable of being

The underlying image is a route that can be passed through: permeable first described passable places. With the negative prefix, the material sense denies passage to liquids or gases.

In context

Pasa Sustainable Agriculture45:29

you cover it with this what's called tiff plastic which is basically um an impermeable film and then you use the irrigation tape to flood the beds for a period of time creating these anaerobic conditions

IPM Perspectives: Vegetable Disease ID & Prevention with Dr. Beth Gugino

More examples

An impermeable layer of clay traps water near the surface.
This coating makes the tank impermeable to gas.
The container must be impermeable to both air and moisture.

Forms

impermeable

impermeability noun — The quality of preventing fluid passage.

Similar words

waterproof: Specifically blocks water, rather than all liquids or gases.
nonporous: Describes having no pores rather than directly describing fluid passage.
impervious: Can also describe resistance to damage or outside influence.