important - Definitions from Dictionary.com

6 results for: important

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

im·por·tant

Audio Help [im-pawr-tnt] Pronunciation Key

–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- port⁵ + -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 (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
important

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

im·por·tant Audio Help (ĭm-pôr'tnt) Pronunciation Key
adj.

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

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
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).

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

important
adjective
1.	of great significance or value; "important people"; "the important questions of the day" [ant: unimportant]
2.	important in effect or meaning; "a significant change in tax laws"; "a significant change in the Constitution"; "a significant contribution"; "significant details"; "statistically significant" [syn: significant] [ant: insignificant]
3.	of extreme importance; vital to the resolution of a crisis; "a crucial moment in his career"; "a crucial election"; "a crucial issue for women" [syn: crucial] [ant: noncrucial]
4.	having authority or ascendancy or influence; "an important official"; "the captain's authoritative manner" [syn: authoritative]
5.	having or suggesting a consciousness of high position; "recited the decree with an important air"; "took long important strides in the direction of his office"

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
important [imˈpoːtənt] adjective

(negative unimportant) having great value, influence or effect
Example: an important book/person/occasion; It is important that you arrive here on time.

Arabic:	مُهِم
Chinese (Simplified):	重要的
Chinese (Traditional):	重要的
Czech:	důležitý
Danish:	vigtig
Dutch:	belangrijk
Estonian:	tähtis
Finnish:	tärkeä
French:	important
German:	wichtig
Greek:	σημαντικός, σπουδαίος
Hungarian:	fontos
Icelandic:	mikilvægur
Indonesian:	penting
Italian:	importante

Japanese:	重要な
Korean:	중요한
Latvian:	svarīgs; nozīmīgs
Lithuanian:	svarbus
Norwegian:	viktig, betydningsfull
Polish:	ważny
Portuguese (Brazil):	importante
Portuguese (Portugal):	importante
Romanian:	important
Russian:	важный, значительный
Slovak:	dôležitý, významný
Slovenian:	pomemben
Spanish:	importante
Swedish:	viktig
Turkish:	önemli