Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

importunity

/ˌɪmpəɹˈt(j)unɪti/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.43 in modern English

Syllables
im-por-tun-i-ty
IPA
/ˌɪmpəɹˈt(j)unɪti/
18
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
5
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Constant and insistent demanding or proposing, especially if regarded as annoying or upsetting; also, the character of such behaviour; (countable) an instance of this.

Uncountable

noun

The fact of being at an inappropriate or unsuitable time; unseasonableness.

Obsolete; Uncountable

noun

Persistence in behaviour; determination, perseverance, stubbornness.

Obsolete; Uncountable

noun

The quality of being annoying or troublesome; difficulty, trouble; (countable) an instance of this.

Obsolete; Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Late Middle English importunitie, importunyte (“insistence, persistence; grievance; hardship, trouble; inappropriateness (?)”), from Anglo-Norman importunité, and Middle French importunité (“persistent demand; hardship, trouble; something difficult or troublesome; inappropriateness”) (modern French importunité), and their etymon Latin importūnitās (“insolence, rudeness; oppressiveness, relentlessness; unfitness, unsuitableness”), from importūnus (“annoying; rude; inconvenient; unsuitable”) + -tās (suffix forming feminine abstract nouns denoting states of being). Importūnus is derived from im- (a variant of in- (prefix meaning ‘not’) + portus (“harbour, port; haven, refuge”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pértus (“crossing”), from *per- (“to carry forth, fare; to dare, try; to go through;”)) + -nus (suffix forming adjectives). By surface analysis, importune + -ity (suffix forming abstract nouns from adjectives, referring to the state of conforming to what the adjectives describe).

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: *per-, importunitie,importunyte, importunité, importūnitās, *pértus

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˌɪmpəɹˈt(j)unɪti/
  • British English: /ˌɪmpəˈtjuːnɪti/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce importunity?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˌɪmpəɹˈt(j)unɪti/.
What does importunity mean?
Constant and insistent demanding or proposing, especially if regarded as annoying or upsetting; also, the character of such behaviour; (countable) an instance of this.
Where does importunity come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce importunity

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  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌɪmpəɹˈt(j)unɪti/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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