Wordwyrt

importune

Meaningto press without harbour

Common meaning: to ask repeatedly

‘in, into’ + ‘a harbour’ → importune

Journey through time

  1. Latinportus‘a harbour’
  2. Old Frenchimportunsource
  3. Middle Englishimportunesource
  4. Englishimportune‘to ask repeatedly’ · today

im- also in: imbibeimmureimpaleimpartimpede

port also in: portopportune

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: not available. Respelling: generated.
  • US IPA: not available. Respelling: generated.

Origin: Built on Latin portus ‘a harbour’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry portus, p. 1402 · dictionary scan

Roots

Related words

opportuneport

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