English
importunity
Importunity comes from Middle English importunitie ‘insistence, persistence’, from Latin importūnitās ‘insolence, rudeness’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *per- ‘to fare’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-‘to fare’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pértus‘crossing’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*portus‘harbour’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEportus‘harbor, port’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEimportūnus‘annoying’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEimportūnitās‘insolence, rudeness’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400importunité
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500importunitie‘insistence, persistence’
- Englishearliest quotation 1526importunity
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-‘to fare’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pértus‘crossing’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*portus‘harbour’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEportus‘harbor, port’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEimportūnus‘annoying’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEimportūnitās‘insolence, rudeness’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400importunité
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500importunitie‘insistence, persistence’
- Englishearliest quotation 1526importunity
Earliest quotation: 1526, [William Tyndale, The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible): “And he [Jesus] ſayde vnto thẽ [them]: which of…”
The story
Importūnus is derived from im- (a variant of in- (prefix meaning ‘not’) + portus (‘harbour, port; haven, refuge’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pértus (‘crossing’), from *per- (‘to carry forth, fare; to dare, try; to go through;’)) + -nus (suffix forming adjectives).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *per- ‘to fare’
first, before, far, per, price, private, press, further, support, practice, fear, pre, report, appreciate, primary, prior, prime, prize, pregnant, practical, afford, precious, praise, transport, interpretation, sport, privilege, parade, par, forth, ferry, pirate, fare, importance, pardon, export, prix, portable, interpreter, primitive, 149 more
through Proto-Indo-European *pértus ‘crossing’
ford, firth, fjord, inopportune, 6 more
through Proto-Italic *portus ‘harbour’
opportunity, opportune, opportunist, opportunism, 6 more
through Latin portus ‘harbor, port’
Today it means
noun Constant and insistent demanding or proposing, especially if regarded as annoying or upsetting; also, the character of such behaviour; (countable) an instance of this.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *per- / importunity