First Known Use: 1528
Dictionary
imminent
adjective im·mi·nent \ˈi-mə-nənt\
: happening very soon
Full Definition of IMMINENT
: ready to take place; especially : hanging threateningly over one's head <was in imminent danger of being run over>
— im·mi·nent·ly adverb
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Examples of IMMINENT
- The FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the local authorities were momentarily stunned, and began frantically trying to prepare for what they feared were further imminent attacks. —Richard A. Clarke, Atlantic, January/February 2005
- The compression squashes the bullet slightly, enabling about a half-dozen spiral grooves cut along the barrel's inner wall to grab the bullet and make it spin. That spin stabilizes the bullet's imminent flight. —Peter Weiss, Science News, 11 Jan. 2003
- Plaints about the imminent demise of the language are made in every century. But there is usually nothing inherently wrong with most changes the purists deplore. —Steven Pinker, New York Times, 24 Dec. 1999
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Origin of IMMINENT
Latin imminent-, imminens, present participle of imminēre to project, threaten, from in- + -minēre (akin to Latin mont-, mons mountain) — more at mount
IMMINENT Defined for Kids
imminent
adjective im·mi·nent \ˈi-mə-nənt\
Definition of IMMINENT for Kids
: being about to happen <imminent danger>
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