different between impetuous vs impetus

English

Etymology

From Middle English impetuous, from Old French impetueux, from Late Latin impetu?sus (“violent”), from Latin impetus (“attack, violence”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /im?p?t?u?s/

Adjective

impetuous (comparative more impetuous, superlative most impetuous)

1. Making arbitrary decisions, especially in an impulsive and forceful manner.
   • 1880, John Weeks Moore, Complete Encyclopaedia of Music, "Beethoven, Louis Van":

     But it was natural, that the impetuous, restless young artist should incline more to excess of strength than of delicacy in his playing.

2. Characterized by sudden violence or vehemence.
   • 1794, Ann Radcliffe, The Mysteries of Udolpho, vol. II, chapter I:

     He stands, and views in the faint rays
     Far, far below, the torrent's rising surge,
     And listens to the wild impetuous roar

   • 1917 rev. 1925, Ezra Pound, "Canto I"

     Unsheathed the narrow sword,

     I sat to keep off the impetuous impotent dead ...

Synonyms

• impulsive
• hasty
• rash
• hotheaded

Derived terms

• impetuously
• impetuousness

Translations

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??m.p?.t?s/
• Hyphenation: im?pe?tus

Noun

impetus (plural impetuses)

1. Anything that impels; a stimulating factor.

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

   • 2011, Phil McNulty, Euro 2012: Montenegro 2-2 England [1]

     In a single moment Montenegro and their supporters were given fresh impetus and encouragement. Beciraj tested Hart with a low shot before teenager Phil Jones, on his England debut, suffered an anxious moment when Stevan Jovetic went down under his challenge, leaving the youngster clearly relieved to see referee Stark wave away Montenegro's appeals.

2. A force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse.
3. The force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus.
4. An activity in response to a stimulus.

Related terms

• impetuous

Translations

See also

• wind at one's back

Further reading

• impetus in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• impetus in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• impetus at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• imputes, stumpie, time's up, uptimes

Latin

Etymology

From impet? (“to rush upon, attack”), from in- (“upon”) + pet? (“to seek, fall upon”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /?im.pe.tus/, [??mp?t??s?]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /?im.pe.tus/, [?imp?t?us]

Noun

impetus m (genitive impet?s); fourth declension

1. an attack, an assault, a charge
2. a rapid motion
3. a making for

Declension

Fourth-declension noun.

Descendants

References

• impetus in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• impetus in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• impetus in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• impetus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• Carl Meissner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book?^[2], London: Macmillan and Co.
• impetus in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.