imp

[ imp ]

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

Other words for imp

2	scamp, rascal, brat, devil

See synonyms for imp on Thesaurus.com

Other definitions for IMP (2 of 6)

IMP

International Match Point.

Other definitions for imp. (3 of 6)

imp.¹

abbreviation

in the first place.

Origin of imp.

From the Latin word imprīmīs

Other definitions for imp. (4 of 6)

imp.²

abbreviation

imperative.
imperfect.

imperial.
impersonal.
implement.
import.
important.
imported.
importer.
imprimatur.
imprint.
improper.
improved.
improvement.

Other definitions for Imp. (5 of 6)

Imp.¹

abbreviation

Emperor.

Origin of Imp.

⁵

From the Latin word Imperātor

Other definitions for Imp. (6 of 6)

Imp.²

abbreviation

Empress.

Origin of Imp.

⁶

From the Latin word Imperātrīx

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use imp in a sentence

imp, The: The nickname given to Tywin Lannister's youngest son, a dwarf named Tyrion (Peter Dinklage).
Game of Thrones for Dummies | Jace Lacob | April 13, 2011 | THE DAILY BEAST
Curses light upon your head, and black death upon your heart, you imp!
Oliver Twist, Vol. II (of 3) | Charles Dickens
Of course these two others are not up to the mark of The Bottle imp; but they each have a certain merit, and they fit in style.
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 25 (of 25) | Robert Louis Stevenson
He broke off abruptly, and the Green imp accelerated her pace as they came to the long, straight road home.
Red Pepper Burns | Grace S. Richmond
Arthur Chester may fairly have been said to spend the succeeding fortnight in the company of the Green imp and its driver.
Red Pepper Burns | Grace S. Richmond

The imp itself seemed to be running away, so swiftly and silently it covered the new road leading off into the hills.
Red Pepper Burns | Grace S. Richmond

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

Origin of 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

Origin of 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

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