impetus

CEFRC1

/ˈɪm.pə.təs/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    Something that encourages or causes an action.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    A force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse.

Examples

  • If there's no reward, what's the impetus to return their dog?

  • Note that the impetus for change has undergone a series of transformations in this community.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
2

Also pronounced

  • /ɪmˈpiː.təs/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. The force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus.

  2. Anything that impels; a stimulating factor.

  3. An activity in response to a stimulus.

More examples

In context

  • He did everything with great impetus.

  • The outbreak of World War II in 1939 gave a new impetus to receiver development.

  • Once set a strong mind thinking, and you have done all that it needs for its education. It matters little what is the first impetus, so that it only be set to work.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The new government policy gave a strong blank to the struggling economy.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

Borrowed from Latin impetus (“a rushing upon, an attack, assault, onset”), from impetō (“to rush upon, attack”), from in- (“upon”) + petō (“to seek, fall upon”).