imp
[ imp ]
/ ɪmp /
noun
a little devil or demon; an evil spirit.
a mischievous child.
Archaic.
a scion or offshoot of a plant or tree.
Archaic.
an offspring.
verb (used with object)
Falconry.
- to graft (feathers) into a wing.
- to furnish (a wing, tail, etc.) with feathers, as to make good losses or deficiencies and improve powers of flight.
Archaic.
to add a piece to; mend or repair.
Origin of imp
before 900; (noun) Middle English
impe, Old English
impa, impe shoot, graft < Late Latin
impotus, imputus grafted shoot < Greek
émphytos planted, implanted, verbal adjective of
emphŷein to implant (
em-
em-2 +
phŷein to bring forth); (v.) Middle English
impen to plant, graft, Old English
impian, geimpian, derivative of the noun (compare Old High German
impfōn, impitōn > German
impfen to inoculate); sense “demon” < phrase
imp of the devil
Words nearby imp
immure,
immutable,
imnsho,
imo,
imogene,
imp,
imp.,
imp. gal.,
impact,
impact adhesive,
impact crater
Definition for imp (2 of 6)
IMP
International Match Point.
Definition for imp (3 of 6)
imp.
1
in the first place.
Origin of imp.
1
From the Latin word
imprīmīs
Definition for imp (4 of 6)
imp.
2
Definition for imp (5 of 6)
Origin of Imp.
1
From the Latin word
Imperātor
Definition for imp (6 of 6)
Origin of Imp.
2
From the Latin word
Imperātrīx
Example sentences from the Web for imp
British Dictionary definitions for imp (1 of 3)
imp
/ (ɪmp) /
noun
a small demon or devil; mischievous sprite
a mischievous child
verb
(tr) falconry
to insert (new feathers) into the stumps of broken feathers in order to repair the wing of a hawk or falcon
Word Origin for imp
Old English
impa bud, graft, hence offspring, child, from
impian to graft, ultimately from Greek
emphutos implanted, from
emphuein to implant, from
phuein to plant
British Dictionary definitions for imp (2 of 3)
imp.
abbreviation for
imperative
imperfect
imperial
imprimatur
British Dictionary definitions for imp (3 of 3)
Imp.
abbreviation for
Imperator
Imperatrix
Imperial
Word Origin for Imp.
(for sense 1) Latin: Emperor; (for sense 2) Latin: Empress