important
//ɪmˈpɔː.tənt//
Forms
- Comparative
- more important
- Superlative
- most important
Definitions
1.Having relevant and crucial value; having import.
- We thought it important for there to be a fire escape at the back of every building.
- In plants, the ability to recognize self from nonself plays an important role in fertilization, because self-fertilization will result in less diverse offspring than fertilization with pollen from another individual.
Frequency
Overall
Very common· #297
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Common
- General reading & writing
- Very common
- Academic
- Common
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Word family
Etymology
From Middle English important, from Medieval Latin important-, importāns. By surface analysis, import (“to be important”) + -ant.
Displaced native Old English hēah and hefiġ.