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 page image L. Ron Hubbard René Lafayette 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.