What does importunity mean?
Importunity means importance, weight, or urgency, especially when a subject or request cannot safely be ignored. The noun is now uncommon in ordinary English but may appear in formal, legal, historical, or elevated prose. Its two related senses distinguish between the general importance of a matter and its more immediate pressure: something can be important because of its significance, or urgent because delay would be inappropriate or harmful. “The importunity of the occasion” illustrates its tendency to convey that a situation demands prompt attention. Importunity should not be confused with the related adjective importunate, which describes someone as persistent or whose request is overly forceful. Although the vocabulary of general usage now prefers “importance” or “urgency,” importunity remains useful in contexts seeking a formal or elevated register. Its Latin ancestry also connects it with importunate and related words concerning demands that cannot easily be set aside.
nounThe quality of being important, weighty, or urgent; importance. The word is formal and now uncommon.
- The quality of being important, weighty, or significant.
- The quality of being pressing or demanding urgent attention.
"The committee acknowledged the importunity of the matter without agreeing on a course of action."
"The judge stressed the importunity of resolving the dispute before the hearing."
"Officials recognized the importunity of the request and scheduled an early meeting."
Plural usage is rare because the word itself is uncommon in contemporary English.
"The book discusses several importunities facing public institutions."
Its Latin ancestor meant “inopportune” or “troublesome,” preserving the idea of a matter that cannot safely be ignored.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does importunity come from?
The word entered English in the early 17th century from Latin importunitas, meaning “troublesomeness” or “importance.” It was ultimately associated with importunus, a Latin adjective meaning “inopportune,” “troublesome,” or “demanding,” and developed alongside importunate and importunacy. The modern meaning reflects a shift from a troublesome or pressing quality toward the broader sense of importance and weight.
How importunity is actually used
This is a formal, literary, and increasingly uncommon word. In modern English it is often replaced by “importance,” “urgency,” or “pressing nature,” depending on the intended sense.
Easily confused with importunity
Importunity is a noun meaning importance or urgency, whereas importunate is an adjective describing a person or request as persistent and demanding attention.