definitions

imp

[ imp ]
/ ɪmp /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR imp ON THESAURUS.COM

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.
  1. to graft (feathers) into a wing.
  2. 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.

RELATED WORDS

troll, gremlin, minx, devil, brat, puck, elf, rascal, tyke, pixie, villain, rogue, scamp, hellion, fiend, demon, urchin, gnome, sprite, gamin

Nearby words

immure, immutable, imnsho, imo, imogene, imp, imp., imp. gal., impact, impact adhesive, impact crater

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

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)

Imp.

1

Emperor.

Origin of Imp.

1
From the Latin word Imperātor

Definition for imp (6 of 6)

Imp.

2

Empress.

Origin of Imp.

2
From the Latin word Imperātrīx
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples 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
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012