impressive
/ˌɪmˈpɹesɪv/im-PREH-siv
/ˌɪmˈpɹɛsɪv/im-PREH-siv
Meaningtending to press in
Common meaning: making a strong good effect
- imin, into
- pressto pressLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1440 · scan
- iveadjective ending: tending to
‘in, into’ + ‘to press’ → impressive
Journey through time
- Latinpremō, pressī, pressum‘to press’
- Englishimpress‘to make a strong effect on’
- Englishformed in English from impressimpressive‘making a strong good effect’ · today
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: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Formed in English from impress + -ive.
Dictionary: Skeat (1898), IMPRESS, p.285 · scan
Roots
- premō, pressī, pressum Latin “to press”
Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app