imperfect Hear it!

imperfect definition

im·per·fect (im pʉrfikt)

adjective

  1. not finished or complete; lacking in something
  2. not perfect; having a defect, fault, or error
  3. Gram. in certain inflected languages, designating or of the tense of a verb that indicates a past action or state as uncompleted, continuous, customary, or going on at the same time as another: “was writing” and “used to write” are English forms corresponding to the imperfect tense in such languages
  4. Music designating an interval of a major or minor third or sixth

Etymology: ME inperfit < OFr imparfit < L imperfectus: see in- & perfect

noun

  1. the imperfect tense
  2. a verb in this tense

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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