English Online Dictionary. What means important? What does important mean?
English
Etymology
From Middle English important, from Medieval Latin important-, importāns. By surface analysis, import (“to be important”) + -ant.
Displaced native Old English heah and hefig.
Pronunciation
- (UK, Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ɪmˈpɔː.tənt/, [ɪmˈpʰɔːʔn̩ʔ], [ɪmˈpʰɔːtənt̚]
- (General American) IPA(key): /ɪmˈpɔɹ.tənt/, [ɪmˈpʰɔɹʔn̩t], [ɪmˈpʰɔɹʔn̩ʔ]
- (rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA(key): /ɪmˈpo(ː)ɹ.tənt/
- (non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA(key): /ɪmˈpoə.tənt/
- (US, T-Flapping) IPA(key): /ɪmˈpɔɹ.tənt/
Adjective
important (comparative more important or (uncommon) importanter, superlative most important or (uncommon) importantest)
- Having relevant and crucial value; having import.
- 1988, Robert Ferro, Second Son:
- For this was the most important thing, that when a person felt strongly about an issue in life, it mustn’t be ignored by others; for if it was, everything subsequent to it would turn out badly, even though there should seem to be no direct connection.
- (obsolete) Pompous; self-important.
Synonyms
- significant
- weighty
- See also Thesaurus:important
Antonyms
- negligible
- ignorable
- petty
- slight
- unimportant
Derived terms
Related terms
- import
- importance
Translations
Catalan
Etymology 1
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): (Central) [im.purˈtan]
- IPA(key): (Balearic) [im.porˈtant]
- IPA(key): (Valencia) [im.poɾˈtant]
Adjective
important m or f (masculine and feminine plural importants)
- important
Derived terms
- importantment
Related terms
- importància
Further reading
- “important” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
- “important”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025
- “important” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
- “important” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
Etymology 2
Verb
important
- gerund of importar
French
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɛ̃.pɔʁ.tɑ̃/, (in liaison) /ɛ̃.pɔʁ.tɑ̃.t‿/
- Hyphenation: im‧por‧tant
Adjective
important (feminine importante, masculine plural importants, feminine plural importantes)
- important
- large, considerable, significant
- Synonyms: grand, gros, considérable
Derived terms
Participle
important
- present participle of importer
Further reading
- “important”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Latin
Verb
important
- third-person plural present active indicative of importō
Occitan
Pronunciation
Adjective
important m (feminine singular importanta, masculine plural importants, feminine plural importantas)
- important
Related terms
- importància
Romanian
Etymology
Borrowed from French important.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [im.porˈtant]
Adjective
important m or n (feminine singular importantă, masculine plural importanți, feminine and neuter plural importante)
- important
Declension
Related terms
- importanță