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important

 - 3 dictionary results

im⋅por⋅tant

  [im-pawr-tnt]
Use important in a Sentence
–adjective
1. of much or great significance or consequence: an important event in world history.
2. mattering much (usually fol. by to): details important to a fair decision.
3. entitled to more than ordinary consideration or notice: an important exception.
4. prominent or large: He played an important part in national politics.
5. of considerable influence or authority, as a person or position: an important scientist.
6. having social position or distinction, as a person or family: important guests.
7. pompous; pretentious: When speaking, he assumes an important attitude that offends his audience.
8. Obsolete. importunate.
Origin:
1580–90; < ML important- (s. of importāns prp. of importāre to be of consequence, weigh, L: to carry in, import), equiv. to im- im- 1 + port- port 5 + -ant- -ant; see import

Related forms:
im⋅por⋅tant⋅ly, adverb

Usage note:
Both more important and more importantly occur at the beginning of a sentence in all varieties of standard English: More important (or More importantly), her record as an administrator is unmatched. Today, more importantly is the more common, even though some object to its use on the grounds that more important is an elliptical form of “What is more important” and that the adverb importantly could not occur in such a construction. More importantly probably developed by analogy with other sentence-modifying adverbs, as curiously, fortunately, and regrettably.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To important
im·por·tant   (ĭm-pôr'tnt)   
adj.  

  1. Strongly affecting the course of events or the nature of things; significant: an important message that must get through; close friends who are important to me.

  2. Having or suggesting a consciousness of high position or authority; authoritative: recited the decree with an important air.

  3. Obsolete Importunate.


[Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin importāns, important-, present participle of importāre, to mean, from Latin, to import; see import.]
im·por'tant·ly adv.
Usage Note: Some critics have objected to the use of the phrase more importantly in place of more important when one introduces an assertion, as in More importantly, no one is ready to step into the vacuum left by the retiring senator. But both forms are widely used by reputable writers, and there is no obvious reason for preferring one or the other.
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

important 
1444, from M.Fr. important, from M.L. importantem (nom. importans), prp. of importare "be significant in," from L. importare "bring in" (see import).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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