Link Centre Dictionary

importunate

im·por·tu·nate

UK/ɪmˈpɔːtjuːneɪt/ US/ɪmˈpɔɹtjuːneɪt/ uncommon rare

adjective

1.

expressing earnest entreaty

  • “the appealing and frightened look worn by an injured dog”
  • “she holds out her hand for money, importunate, insistent”
  • “a pleading note in her voice”
Synonyms
Similar

Origin

First attested in 1477, in Middle english; from Latin importūnus + -ate (adjective-forming suffix), modelled on Middle French importuné. By surface analysis, importune + -ate. The noun was substantivized from the adjective, see -ate (noun-forming suffix).

Related words

Word family

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.