Link Centre Dictionary

impetuous

im·pe·tuous

UK/imˈpɛt͡ʃuəs/ US/ˌɪˈmpɛtʃwʌs/ uncommon

adjective

1.

characterized by undue haste and lack of thought or deliberation

  • “a hotheaded decision”
  • “liable to such impulsive acts as hugging strangers”
  • “an impetuous display of spending and gambling”
  • “madcap escapades”
  • “brainish”
2.

marked by violent force

  • “impetuous heaving waves”
Similar

Origin

From Middle English impetuous, from Old French impetueux, from Late Latin impetuōsus (“violent”), from Latin impetus (“attack, violence”).

Related words

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.