important

[im-pawr-tnt]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR important ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of much or great significance or consequence: an important event in world history.

mattering much (usually followed by to): details important to a fair decision.

entitled to more than ordinary consideration or notice: an important exception.

prominent or large: He played an important part in national politics.

of considerable influence or authority, as a person or position: an important scientist.

having social position or distinction, as a person or family: important guests.

pompous; pretentious: When speaking, he assumes an important attitude that offends his audience.

Obsolete. importunate.

Origin of important

1580–90; < Medieval Latin important- (stem of importāns present participle of importāre to be of consequence, weigh, Latin: to carry in, import), equivalent to im- im-¹ + port- port⁵ + -ant- -ant; see import

Related formsim·por·tant·ly, adverbhalf-im·por·tant, adjectivehalf-im·por·tant·ly, adverbpre·im·por·tant, adjectivepre·im·por·tant·ly, adverbqua·si-im·por·tant, adjectivequa·si-im·por·tant·ly, adverbsu·per·im·por·tant, adjectivesu·per·im·por·tant·ly, adverbun·im·por·tant, adjectiveun·im·por·tant·ly, adverb

Usage note

Both more important and more importantly occur at the beginning of a sentence in all varieties of standard English: More important (or More importantly), her record as an administrator is unmatched. Today, more importantly is the more common, even though some object to its use on the grounds that more important is an elliptical form of “What is more important” and that the adverb importantly could not occur in such a construction. More importantly probably developed by analogy with other sentence-modifying adverbs, as curiously, fortunately, and regrettably.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for unimportant

worthless, insignificant, irrelevant, immaterial, meaningless, inconsequential, negligible, useless, null, trivial, frivolous, unnecessary, casual, frothy, indifferent, little, minor, minute, nonessential, nothing

Examples from the Web for unimportant

Contemporary Examples of unimportant

Actually giving that up and stepping aside to become the unimportant one for once is very unpleasant, even painful.
Who Died and Made You Khaleesi? Privilege, White Saviors, and the Elusive Male Feminist Who Doesn’t Suck
Arthur Chu
June 24, 2014
When I look back on my life as a volunteer, there is not one minute I think was wasted or unimportant.
Hurricane Sandy Anniversary a Reminder of the Power of Volunteers
Jill W. Iscol
April 29, 2013
In other words, one can trust the entry on Jimmy Carter, but not entries for unimportant schlubs like me.
The Dangers of Trusting Wikipedia With Your Life
Michael Moynihan
April 2, 2013
I had a teacher, when young, who said the word “writer” was unimportant.
Rick Moody: Why I Write
Rick Moody
February 1, 2013
Evidently, those concerns are unimportant once the profits begin flowing into government coffers.
End the Government's Lottery Monopoly
Stephen L. Carter
April 23, 2011

Historical Examples of unimportant

And it made work, and all things else, look mean and poor and unimportant.
The Incomplete Amorist
E. Nesbit
Unimportant as this may seem now, it then occasioned intense excitement.
Cleveland Past and Present
Maurice Joblin
The beauty of women is unimportant but the number of women is very important.
City of Endless Night
Milo Hastings
Cornish made some unimportant remark, which the other did not answer.
Roden's Corner
Henry Seton Merriman
During the whole time we had all been, with unimportant exceptions, in good health.
Freeland
Theodor Hertzka

British Dictionary definitions for unimportant

unimportant

adjective

lacking in significance or valueunimportant matters

important

adjective

of great significance or value; outstandingVoltaire is an important writer

of social significance; notable; eminent; esteemedan important man in the town

(when postpositive, usually foll by to) specially relevant or of great concern (to); valued highly (by)your wishes are important to me

an obsolete word for importunate

Derived Formsimportantly, adverb

Word Origin for important

C16: from Old Italian importante, from Medieval Latin importāre to signify, be of consequence, from Latin: to carry in; see import

usage

The use of more importantly as in more importantly, the local council is opposed to this proposal has become very common, but many people still prefer to use more important

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

Word Origin and History for unimportant

adj.

1750, from un- (1) "not" + important. Used earlier in a sense of "unassuming, modest" (1727). Related: Unimportantly.

important

adj.

mid-15c., from Middle French important and directly from Medieval Latin importantem (nominative importans), present participle of importare "be significant in," from Latin importare "bring in" (see import). Related: Importantly.