English
imminent
Imminent comes from Latin imminēre ‘to overhang’, from mineō ‘to jut, project’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *men- ‘to stand out’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*men-‘to stand out’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*mn̥éh₁yetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*meneōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmineō‘to jut, project’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEimminēre‘to overhang’
- Englishearliest quotation 1927imminent
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*men-‘to stand out’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*mn̥éh₁yetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*meneōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmineō‘to jut, project’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEimminēre‘to overhang’
- Englishearliest quotation 1927imminent
Earliest quotation: 1927, Whitney v. California:: “To courageous, self-reliant men, with confidence in the power…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *men- ‘to stand out’
music, money, amount, mind, mouth, museum, remain, monster, auto, mental, mountain, monitor, mention, comment, permanent, demonstration, monk, monetary, min, maya, monastery, muse, mosaic, monument, mentor, mas, monte, amnesty, mania, muster, dementia, monstrous, summon, mandarin, menace, manic, mantra, mont, mint, amnesia, 125 more
through Latin mineō ‘to jut, project’
Today it means
adj About to happen, occur, or take place very soon, especially of something which won't last long.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *men- / imminent