import

American  

[im-pawrt, -pohrt, im-pawrt, -pohrt] / ɪmˈpɔrt, -ˈpoʊrt, ˈɪm pɔrt, -poʊrt /

verb (used with object)

1. to bring in (merchandise, commodities, workers, etc.) from a foreign country for use, sale, processing, reexport, or services.

2. to bring or introduce from one use, connection, or relation into another.

   foreign bodies imported into the blood; foodstuffs imported from the farm.

3. to convey as meaning or implication; signify.

   Her words imported a change of attitude.

4. to involve as a necessary circumstance; imply.

   Religion imports belief.

5. Computers. to bring (documents, data, etc.) into one software program from another.

6. Archaic. to be of consequence or importance to; concern.

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verb (used without object)

1. to be of consequence or importance; to matter.

   We are friends, and it does not import that we have only just met.

noun

1. something that is imported from abroad; an imported commodity or article.

2. the act of importing or bringing in; importation, as of goods from abroad.

   the import of foreign cars.

3. consequence or importance.

   matters of great import.

   Synonyms:

   sense, significance

4. meaning; implication; purport.

   He felt the import of her words.

import British  

verb

1. to buy or bring in (goods or services) from a foreign country Compare export

2. (tr) to bring in from an outside source

   to import foreign words into the language

3. rare to signify or be significant; mean; convey

   to import doom

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noun

1. (often plural)

   1. goods ( visible imports ) or services ( invisible imports ) that are bought from foreign countries

   2. ( as modifier )

      an import licence

2. significance or importance

   a man of great import

3. meaning or signification

4. informal a sportsman or -woman who is not native to the country in which he or she plays

Other Word Forms

• importability
  noun
• importable
  adjective
• importer
  noun
• nonimport
  noun
• overimport
  verb (used with object)
• preimport
  noun
• preimport
  verb (used with object)
• unimported
  adjective
• unimporting
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of import

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English importen, from Latin importāre; equivalent to im- ¹ + port ⁵

Explanation

Imports are the products shipped into our country from other places. We import Japanese autos and export our pop music to Tokyo. Import also means to signify something. Is it of import to our economic security to have so many Japanese imports on our roads? The origins of the word import are literally "to bring into port." The ratio of imports to exports is a big indicator of the health of a nation's economy. The word import can also refer to attitudes or behaviors that come as part of the culture of a place. "New York media is dominated by British journalists who have imported the snarky style of gossip reporting famous in London."

Example Sentences

India hiked import duties on gold and silver to 15% from 6% to conserve foreign resources and prioritize essential imports.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

A federal appeals court temporarily stayed a trade court decision, allowing the collection of 10% import tariffs to continue.

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

The mechanism, as described by US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, would help formalize and identify what goods the United States should export to and import from China.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

“The First Salute” begins with a short film explaining the import of its title.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

And yet I knew that in 1859 we were enslaved and in 1865 we were not, and what happened to us in those years struck me as having some amount of import.

From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Related Words

• value
• worth