import

Something brought in from an exterior source, especially for sale or trade.

Noun

  1. Something brought in from an exterior source, especially for sale or trade.
    • Trump’s July 8 announcement of a 50% tariff on copper imports beginning August 1 sent prices surging 13% in one day, up to a record high of $5.69 per pound. - 2025 July 17, John Towfighi, “Copper prices have surged to...
  2. The practice of importing.
  3. A foreigner playing in a sports league.

Origin

From Middle English importen, from Old French emporter, importer, from Latin importō (“bring in from abroad, import”, verb), from in (“in, at, on; into”) + portō (“to carry, bear; convey”).

Forms

imports

Synonyms

importation importancy importance meaning purport significance tenor weight

Antonyms

export insignificance

Derived

antiimport importless invisible import nonimport parallel import reimport reverse import

Noun dated

  1. The meaning of a term, statement, etc.
    • The greater part of the English words derived from the Anglo-Saxon exist also in German, either with the same import— as 𝔉𝔢𝔲𝔢𝔯, fire; 𝔅𝔯𝔲𝔡𝔢𝔯, brother,— or with a kindred import, as 𝔏𝔲ſ𝔱 (pleasure), lust; ℌ𝔲𝔫𝔡 (dog),...
  2. Significance, importance
    • It was a matter of great import.
    • There is, too, a little mentioned aspect of the tunnel which contributes to its failings. You never see the sea while approaching it from either the British or French side. That takes away from the import of the journey...

Origin

From Italian importare, and French importer, from Latin importō.

Forms

imports

Verb Entry 3

  1. To be important; to be significant; to be of consequence.
    • See how much it importeth to learn to take Time by the Fore-Top. - 1661, Thomas Salusbury, (Please provide the book title or journal name):
  2. To be of importance to (someone or something).
    • This Letter is mistooke: it importeth none here: It is writ to laquenetta. - 1593, Shakespeare, Love's Labour's Lost:
    • If I endure it, what imports it you? - 1681, John Dryden, The Spanish Fryar: Or, the Double Discovery. […], London: […] Richard Tonson and Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page number):
  3. To be incumbent on (someone to do something).
    • It imports us to get all the aid and assistance we can. - 1762, David Hume, The History of England:
  4. To be important or crucial to (that something happen).
    • It much imports your house That all should be made clear. - 1819, Percy Bysshe Shelley, The Cenci:
  5. To mean, signify.
    • Every petition […] doth […] always import a multitude of speakers together. - [1594], Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Iohn Windet, […], →OCLC, (please...
  6. To express, to imply.

Forms

imports importing imported

Verb Entry 4

  1. To bring (something) in from a foreign country, especially for sale or trade.
    • Nauru imports foods from Australia because phosphate mining destroyed land for farming.

    Antonyms: export

  2. To load a file into a software application from another version or system.
    • How can I import files from older versions of this application?

    Antonyms: export

Forms

imports importing imported

Derived

importability importable important importation importee importer importin importome nonimported nonimporting overimport reimport unimported unimporting