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importune (v.)
"harass with solicitation, demand persistently," 1520s, back-formation from importunity, or else from French importuner, from Medieval Latin importunari "to make oneself troublesome," from Latin importunus "unfit, unfavorable, troublesome," literally "having no harbor" (thus "difficult to access"), from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + portus "harbor" (see port (n.1)). Related: Importuned; importuning. As an adjective from early 15c. Portunus was the Roman deity of harbors; hence Portunium "temple of Portunus."
Entries linking to importune
importunity (n.)"persistence, insistence; over-eagerness," early 15c., from Old French importunité (14c.), from Latin importunitatem (nominative importunitas) "unsuitableness; unmannerliness, unreasonableness, incivility," from importunus "unfit, troublesome" (see importune).
in- (1)word-forming element meaning "not, opposite of, without" (also im-, il-, ir- by assimilation of -n- with following consonant, a tendency which began in later Latin), from Latin in- "not," cognate with Greek an-, Old English un-, all from PIE root *ne- "not."
In Old French and Middle English often en-, but most of these forms have not survived in Modern English, and the few that do (enemy, for instance) no longer are felt as negative. The rule of thumb in English has been to use in- with obviously Latin elements, un- with native or nativized ones.
In Old French and Middle English often en-, but most of these forms have not survived in Modern English, and the few that do (enemy, for instance) no longer are felt as negative. The rule of thumb in English has been to use in- with obviously Latin elements, un- with native or nativized ones.
updated on December 08, 2020
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Definitions of importune from WordNet
Dictionary entries near importune
importance
important
importation
importer
importunate
importune
importunity
impose
imposing
imposition
impossibilism
