impertinent

English

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English impertinent, from Middle French impertinent, from Old French impertinent, from Latin impertinēns; by surface analysis, im- + pertinent.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ɪm.ˈpɜː.tɪ.nənt/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ɪm.ˈpɝ.tɪ.nənt/, (rare) /ɪm.ˈpɝt.nənt/
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Adjective

impertinent (comparative more impertinent, superlative most impertinent)

  1. Insolent, ill-mannered.
    • 1769, Firishta, translated by Alexander Dow, Tales translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi, volume I, Dublin: P. and W. Wilson et al., page 11:
      “Divine receptacle of excellence, let it not be deemed impertinent, or deviating from the rules of propriety, if I propound one queſtion which now labours in my breaſt; aſſuring me firſt, you will not let the ſceptre of true judgment depart from your right hand.”
  2. Irrelevant, useless.
    Antonyms: pertinent, relevant
    • 1664, John Tillotson, “Sermon I. The Wisdom of Being Religious. Job XXVIII. 28.”, in The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson, Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: [], 8th edition, London: [] T. Goodwin, B[enjamin] Tooke, and J. Pemberton, []; J. Round [], and J[acob] Tonson] [], published 1720, →OCLC:
      Curious speculations, and the contemplation of things that are impertinent to us, and do not concern us, nor serve to promote our happiness, are but a more specious and ingenious sort of idleness
    • 1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. [], 2nd edition, London: [] Francis Ashe [], →OCLC:
      How impertinent that grief was which served no end!

Usage notes

  • Although definition 2 was the original meaning (derived from the French), the meaning gradually changed to definition 1. More recently, general usage has come to once again incorporate definition 2, though older speakers may consider definition 2 incorrect. The construction "not pertinent" is one possible alternative.

Synonyms

Translations

Noun

impertinent (plural impertinents)

  1. An impertinent individual.
    • 1808 (date written), [Maria] Edgeworth, “Manœuvring. Chapter XII.”, in Tales of Fashionable Life, volume III, London: [] [S. Hamilton] for J[oseph] Johnson, [], published 1809, →OCLC, page 292:
      Get near fat Mr. Dutton, and behind the screen of his prodigious elbow, you will be comfortably recessed from curious impertinents.

Dutch

Pronunciation

  • (file)

Adjective

impertinent (comparative impertinenter, superlative impertinentst)

  1. insolent, ill-mannered

Inflection

Inflection of impertinent
uninflected impertinent
inflected impertinente
comparative impertinenter
positive comparative superlative
predicative/adverbial impertinentimpertinenterhet impertinentst
het impertinentste
indefinite m./f. sing. impertinenteimpertinentereimpertinentste
n. sing. impertinentimpertinenterimpertinentste
plural impertinenteimpertinentereimpertinentste
definite impertinenteimpertinentereimpertinentste
partitive impertinentsimpertinenters

French

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Late Latin impertinentem. Morphologically, from in- + pertinent.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɛ̃.pɛʁ.ti.nɑ̃/
  • (file)
  • (file)

Adjective

impertinent (feminine impertinente, masculine plural impertinents, feminine plural impertinentes)

  1. insolent, ill-mannered
    Synonyms: insolent, effronté

Further reading

German

Pronunciation

  • (file)

Adjective

impertinent (strong nominative masculine singular impertinenter, comparative impertinenter, superlative am impertinentesten)

  1. insolent, ill-mannered

Declension

Further reading

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French impertinent, from Latin impertinens. Equivalent to in- + pertinent.

Adjective

impertinent m or n (feminine singular impertinentă, masculine plural impertinenți, feminine and neuter plural impertinente)

  1. impertinent

Declension

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