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impertinent definition

im·per·ti·nent (im pʉrt′'n ənt)

adjective

  1. not pertinent; having no connection with a given matter; irrelevant
  2. not showing proper respect or manners; saucy; insolent; impudent
  3. Rare not suitable to the circumstances; inappropriate

Etymology: OFr < LL impertinens

Related Forms:

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

impertinent Synonyms

impertinent

modif.

  1. Disrespectful

    saucy, insolent, impudent, pert, fresh, rude, audacious, cheeky*, sassy*; see also rude 2.

  2. Not to the point

    irrelevant, inapplicable, inappropriate; see irrelevant.

impertinent implies a forwardness of speech or action that is disrespectful and oversteps the bounds of propriety or courtesy; impudent implies a shameless or brazen impertinence; insolent implies defiant disrespect as displayed in openly insulting and contemptuous speech or behavior; saucy implies a flippancy and provocative levity toward one to whom respect should be shown


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

impertinent Usage Examples

Modifies a noun

  • question: Such was the famous reply given by the nineteenth century artist James McNeil Whistler to what seemed to him like a rather impertinent question.

Modifying Another Word

  • very: You have to be very impertinent to make such an claim.

Used with adjective complement

  • seem: The Unnameable The nature of I AM, the existent one, is so multi-dimensional that to catalog a few aspects seems almost impertinent.
impertinent usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

impertinent quotes

That is the essence of science: ask an impertinent question and you are on the way to a pertinent answer. 154

-Bronowski,Jacob

impertinent quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"impertinent." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/impertinent>

APA Style

impertinent. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/impertinent

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