Permissibles

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Acceptable actions or items that have been granted permission within a specific context or setting
2. Things that are allowed or tolerated according to established rules or guidelines
3. Activities or objects viewed as appropriate and fitting under certain circumstances

Etymology: "Permissibles" is simply the plural of "permissible," so its history belongs to that adjective. The adjective came into Middle English as "permyssyble," borrowed from Old French "permissible," which in turn descends from the Medieval Latin "permissibilis." That Latin base is built on "permittere," meaning "to let pass through, allow," so a permissible thing is one that can be let through or allowed. The noun use, meaning things allowed by law, is a later step: the adjective was turned into a plural noun to name a whole category of items or actions that are legally acceptable.