French word

importun

Pronunciation

IPA/ɛ̃pɔʁtœ̃/

Meaning

  • adjectiveannoying

Example

Ne sois pas importun, s'il te plaît.

Please don't be so annoying.

Illustration for importun (annoying)

More examples

Il a reçu un appel importun hier soir.

He received an unwelcome call last night.

Core concept

An unwelcome presence that intrudes at the wrong moment and disrupts comfort or activity.

Common phrases

  • un vendeur importun

    an intrusive salesperson

  • un appel importun

    an unwelcome call

Similar words

embêtant: Causing minor hassle or discomfort and making things harder to deal with.
dérangeant: Breaking someone's focus or interrupting an activity in a distracting way.
gênant: Creating an awkward atmosphere that leaves people feeling uncomfortable.
agaçant: Provoking irritation through an unpleasant or frustrating presence.

Definition in French

Qui cause de la gêne ou du désagrément par son comportement ou sa présence inopportune.

Word origin

French importun comes through Old French from Latin importunus, built from in- meaning 'not' and opportunus meaning 'favorable or suitable'.

Usage tips

  • Importun is more formal than everyday adjectives such as gênant, embêtant, or agaçant.

Other meanings

  • troublesomeadjective
  • inconvenientadjective

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word