impair

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English impairen, empeiren, from Old French empeirier, variant of empirier (to worsen), from Vulgar Latin *impēiōrō, from im- + Late Latin pēiōrō (to make worse), from peior (worse), comparative of malus (bad).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɪmˈpɛə/
  • Rhymes: -ɛə(ɹ)

Verb

impair (third-person singular simple present impairs, present participle impairing, simple past and past participle impaired)

  1. (transitive) To weaken; to affect negatively; to have a diminishing effect on.
  2. (intransitive, archaic) To grow worse; to deteriorate.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Milton to this entry?)

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Adjective

impair (comparative more impair, superlative most impair)

  1. (obsolete) Not fit or appropriate; unsuitable.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)

Further reading

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

French

Etymology

im- + pair.

Adjective

impair (feminine singular impaire, masculine plural impairs, feminine plural impaires)

  1. odd (of a number)
    3 est un nombre impair.3 is an odd number.

Antonyms

References

Anagrams

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