impervium n.

a virtually impenetrable or indestructible substance

Now rare.

  • 1932 P. Nowlan Buck Rogers in Oakland (Calif.) Tribune Comics 18 Dec. 1/3

    I hardly thought the telescope would penetrate the impervium walls of the tower.

  • 1933 P. Nowlan Buck Rogers in Syracuse (N.Y.) Herald 27 Mar. 14/2

    The hull is made of impervium—thousands of times harder than any other substance.

  • 1943 ‘L. O'Donnell’ Clash By Night in Astounding Science-Fiction Mar. 9/1 page image bibliography

    A half mile beneath the shallow Venusian sea the black impervium dome that protects Montana Keep rests frowningly on the bottom.

  • 1944 L. Brackett Terror Out of Space in Planet Stories Summer 36/1 page image Leigh Brackett bibliography

    Farrell went on screaming. His throat seemed to be lined with impervium.

  • 1946 ‘T. Herrick’ Coffin Cargo in Planet Comics Nov. 33/2

    Someone or something was outside for through the thick impervium of the hull there came a muffled beating.

  • 1949 R. Z. Gallun Mysta Of Moon in Planet Comics Jan. 43 Raymond Z. Gallun

    But don’t worry, the impervium plates on the ship will protect us!

  • 1949 ‘R. Lafayette’ Emperor of Universe in Startling Stories Nov. 139/2 L. Ron Hubbard bibliography

    We had no air, we had no water, we had no food and our drives—antique directors which had gone out with Lorrilard—had burned themselves into a dainty crisp of curled impervium.

  • 1971 J. Brunner Dramaturges of Yan in Fantastic Dec. 56/1 page image John Brunner bibliography

    It was proofed by a coating of impervium against the risk of meteorites striking.

  • 2005 W. McCarthy To Crush Moon iv. 61 Wil McCarthy bibliography

    Our armor was struck by multiple projectiles—five-gram impervium wirebombs.

Research requirements

antedating 1932
Earliest cite

Buck Rogers syndicated cartoon
Research History
Suggested by Malcolm Farmer.
Fred Galvin submitted a cite from a 1953 reprint of Hugh Frazier Parker's 1943 "The Sword of Johnny Damokles".
Fred Galvin submitted a cite from a 1952 reprint of "Lawrence O'Donnell's" (pseud. of Kuttner & Moore) 1943 "Clash By Night"; Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1943 first appearance.
Fred Galvin submitted a 1949 cite from "Rene LaFayette's" "The Emperor of the Universe".
Fred Galvin submitted a cite from a 1959 reprint of Leigh Brackett's 1944 "Terror Out of Space".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1962 cite from Jeff Sutton's "After Ixmal".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1946 cite from Thornecliffe Herrick's "Coffin Cargo".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1949 cite from Ross Gallun's "Mysta of the Moon".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1942 cite from "A Leader for Korcin" by F. Orlin Tremaine The OED has early-1930s examples from the syndicated Buck Rogers cartoons.

(Impervium is now a trademarked name for a type of stainless steel)

Last modified 2021-01-26 16:48:01
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.