meato-, meat-, mea-

Conveying a surface that does not allow a passage through it, especially liquids; waterproof: Most buildings have impermeable roofs which prevent rain from passing into the rooms that exist under them.

Descriptive of something that is impossible to go through: Because of a terrorist attack, Sam's country declared an irremeable border so no one could enter or leave it unless permitted to do so by the government authorities.

Relating to a body opening or passage way: A doctor was examining the meatal tubes in Tina's ears in an effort to determine what was causing her loss of hearing.

An incision of the mastoid process to enlarge the passage in the nipple-shaped mastoid portion of the temporal bone that extends downward and forward behind the external auditory meatus (opening): The auditory, or acoustic, meatomastoidectomies consists of two passages in the ear; the external acoustic meatus leads from the auricle to the tympanic membrane (eardrum) and the internal acoustic meatus which is for the passage of nerves and blood vessels.

A surgical knife with a probe or guarded point for enlarging a canal through a part of the body by direct incision: A meatome is often passed through a cystoscope to make a very precise incision (meatotomy) to alleviate blockages.

A device to measure the width of a human's urinary passage or tube: While Judy was at the urologist's for an examination, Dr. Little used a meatometer to make sure that her urinary passage, or the meatus of the urethra, was not the cause of her suffering.

A surgical procedure regarding the repair of the meatus: A meatoplasty was necessary to mend or fix Susan's tubular opening of the urethra, which existed in the vulva.

A surgical procedure that concerns the suturing of an opening or passage in the body: Meatorrhaphy often involves the joining the cut end of the urethra to the glands penis after a meatotomy in a man.

Outdated, a speculum (mirror, or looking-glass) for examining a natural passage: Dr. Smart used a meatoscope to inspect Sally's urethra when she was at the urologist's for a check-up.

A visual examination of a meatus (opening or passage): Im medical school, Jeff learned that a meatoscopy was performed especially in order to scrutinize the urinary meatus or a ureteral orifice (a tube that conveys urine from the bladder to the outside).

A n instrument to cut into the urethra: Among the various devices that doctors used in surgery, Tom was shown the meatotome, a scalpel for inserting into the urethra in order to enlarge it.

In surgery, an incision of the urethral meatus mainly to enlarge it: Dr. Smith told Mr. Clark that the procedure of meatotomy involved the widening of the opening at the tip of the penis to make peeing more relaxing and comfortable. and that it was a very safe method.

A tubular opening or a canal through a part of the body: This element usually involves the external auditory meatus or the tube in the outer ear that goes to the eardrum.

The characteristic of something that can be penetrated by a liquid: The gravel walkway up to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Black had much more permeability than the neighbours walkway which was made of stone.

Inclined to be penetrable: Jane uses a permeable coffee filter in her coffee machine to let the boiling water flow through the coffee grains to make a wonderful coffee in the morning.