imminent

im·mi·nent

Use imminent in a sentence

adjective

The definition of imminent is something that is likely to happen very soon.

An example of imminent is a meteorologist saying a hurricane will reach a certain area.

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"imminent." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 13 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Imminent>.

APA Style

imminent. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Imminent

imminent

likely to happen without delay; impending; often, specif., threatening, looming, etc.: imminent danger

Origin of imminent

Classical Latin imminens, present participle of imminere, to project over, threaten from in-, on + minere, to project: see menace

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"imminent." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 13 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Imminent>.

APA Style

imminent. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Imminent

imminent

adjective

About to occur; impending: in imminent danger.

Origin of imminent

Middle English iminent from Old French imminent from Latin imminēns imminent- present participle of imminēre to overhang in- in ; see in- ². -minēre to jut, threaten ; see men-² in Indo-European roots.

Related Forms:

im′mi·nent·ly
adverb

im′mi·nent·ness
noun

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"imminent." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 13 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Imminent>.

APA Style

imminent. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Imminent

Adjective

(comparative more imminent, superlative most imminent)

about to happen, occur, or take place very soon, especially of something which won't last long.

Usage notes

Imminent and eminent are very similar sounds, and are weak rhymes; in some dialects, these may be confused. A typo of either word may result in a correction to the wrong word by spellchecking software. Imminent is also sometimes confused with immanent.
Said of danger, threat and death.

Origin

From the present participle of Latin imminēre (“to overhang”), from mineō ("to project, overhang"), related to minae (English menace) and mons (English mount). Compare with eminent.

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.