'oxygen-permeant' is a compound of 'oxygen' and 'permeant'. 'oxygen' originates from French 'oxygène', ultimately from Greek 'oxys' (meaning 'sharp, acid') + '-genes' (meaning 'producer'); 'permeant' derives from Latin root 'permeare' (to pass through), with prefix 'per-' (through).

'oxygen' was coined in late 18th-century French as 'oxygène' and was adopted into English as 'oxygen'. 'permeant' developed from Latin/Medieval Latin forms of 'permeare' and entered English via the verb 'permeate' before being used adjectivally as 'permeant'.

Initially, the element-name component 'oxygen' was coined with the sense 'acid-producer' (from Greek components), but it evolved to denote the chemical element 'oxygen' in modern usage. 'permeant' originally meant 'able to pass through' and has retained that general sense.