Where does “importunity” come from?
Importunity comes from Middle French importunité, from Latin importunitas, composed of the Latin prefix in- and Latin opportunitas, ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning "not" and "being."
importunity (English): A constant and insistent demanding; An...
Definitions
- A constant and insistent demanding; An...
Ancestry of “importunity”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | importunitie | — |
| 2 | Middle French | importunité | — |
| 3 | Latin | importunitas | incivility, impoliteness, rudeness, insolence |
| 4 | Latin | importūnus | inconvenient, unsuitable |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | portus | harbour |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pértus | crossing |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |