imperfect
/ɪmˈpɜː(ɹ)fɪkt/ adjective, noun, verb
Forms imperfects imperfecting imperfected
- adjective Not perfect.
- adjective (botany) Unisexual: having either male (with stamens) or female (with pistil) flowers, but not with both.
- adjective (taxonomy) Known or expected to be polyphyletic, as of a form taxon.
- adjective (grammar, of a tense or verb form) Representing a continuing or repeated action.
- adjective (obsolete) Lacking some elementary organ that is essential to successful or normal activity.
- noun Something having a minor flaw.
- noun (grammar) A tense of verbs used in describing a past action that is incomplete or continuous.
- verb (transitive) to make imperfect
Synonyms
defective fallible faultful faulty past imperfect tense past imperfect preterimperfect progressive progressive tense imperfect tense continuous tense frail weak
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English imperfit, from Old French imparfit (modern French imparfait), from Latin imperfectus. Spelling modified 15c. to conform Latin etymology. See im- + perfect.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Not perfect; not complete in all its parts; wanting a part; deective; deficient.
- adjective Wanting in some elementary organ that is essential to successful or normal activity.
- noun The imperfect tense; or the form of a verb denoting the imperfect tense.
- verb To make imperfect. [Obs.]
Etymology [L. imperfectus: pref. im- not + perfectus perfect: cf. F imparfait, whence OE. imparfit. See Perfect.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “imperfect”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details