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impertinent

 - 3 dictionary results

im⋅per⋅ti⋅nent

  [im-pur-tn-uhnt]
Use impertinent in a Sentence
–adjective
1. intrusive or presumptuous, as persons or their actions; insolently rude; uncivil: a brash, impertinent youth.
2. not pertinent or relevant; irrelevant: an impertinent detail.
3. Archaic. inappropriate, incongruous, or absurd.
4. Obsolete. (of persons) trivial, silly, or absurd.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME < LL impertinent- (s. of impertinēns) not belonging. See im- 2 , pertinent

Related forms:
im⋅per⋅ti⋅nent⋅ly, adverb
im⋅per⋅ti⋅nent⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. fresh, bold, insulting, officious, saucy, pert, brazen. Impertinent, impudent, insolent refer to bold, rude, and arrogant behavior. Impertinent, from its primary meaning of not pertinent and hence inappropriate or out of place, has come to imply often an unseemly intrusion into what does not concern one, or a presumptuous rudeness toward one entitled to deference or respect: an impertinent interruption, question, manner toward a teacher. Impudent suggests a bold and shameless impertinence: an impudent speech, young rascal. Insolent suggests insulting or arrogantly contemptuous behavior: unbearably insolent toward those in authority.

Antonyms:
1. polite.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To impertinent
im·per·ti·nent   (ĭm-pûr'tn-ənt)   
adj.  

  1. Exceeding the limits of propriety or good manners; improperly forward or bold: impertinent of a child to lecture a grownup.

  2. Not pertinent; irrelevant. See Synonyms at irrelevant.


[Middle English, irrelevant, from Old French, from Late Latin impertinēns, impertinent- : Latin in-, not; see in-1 + Latin pertinēns, pertinent; see pertinent.]
im·per'ti·nent·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

impertinent 
c.1380, "unconnected, unrelated," from L.L. impertinentem (nom. impertinens) "not belonging," lit. "not to the point," from L. in- "not" + pertinens (see pertinent). Sense of "rudely bold" is 1681, probably modeled on similar use in Fr., esp. by Molière, from notion of meddling with what is beyond one's proper sphere.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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