Dictionary

impetus en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈɪm.pə.təs/
• (US) audio
• /ɪmˈpiː.təs/ (nonstandard, obsolete)

Etymology

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

Meanings

1. Anything that impels; a stimulating factor.
   • The outbreak of World War II in 1939 gave a new impetus to receiver development.
   • 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. 2011, Phil McNulty, Euro 2012: Montenegro 2-2 England:
   • Once set a strong mind thinking, and you have done all that it needs for its education. It matters little what is the first impetus, so that it only be set to work. 1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter VI, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 64:
2. A force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse.
3. The force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus.
4. (qualifier:medieval physics) A principle of motive force, held as equivalent to weight times velocity by John Buridan, in an auxiliary theory of Aristotelian dynamics introduced by John Philoponus, describing projectile motion against gravity as linear until it transitions to a vertical drop and the intellectual precursor to the concepts of inertia, momentum and acceleration in classical mechanics.
5. An activity in response to a stimulus.

Forms

Relateds

impetuous · wind at one's back

Translations (75)

bn উদ্দীপনা (the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus) · uk стимул (something that impels) · bg тласък (the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus) · da drivkraft (a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse) · nl aanleiding (something that impels) · de Schub (an activity in response to a stimulus) · cs hybná síla (a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse) · de Anschub (the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus) · pt ímpeto (a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse) · de Antrieb (something that impels) · cs impuls (something that impels) · fa نیروی برانگیزنده (a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse) · oc impulsion (something that impels) · de Schub (something that impels) · az stimul (something that impels) · bg реакция (an activity in response to a stimulus) · eo impeto (something that impels) · bg подбуда (a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse) · nl stuwkracht (the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus) · fa برانگیزنده (something that impels) · it impulso (something that impels) · oc impulsion (a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse) · es ímpetu (the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus) · oc impulsion (an activity in response to a stimulus) · no drivkraft (a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse) · fa انگیختار (the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus) · de Wucht (an activity in response to a stimulus) · cs podnět (something that impels) · nl impuls (a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse) · nl prikkel (an activity in response to a stimulus) · fa برانگیزنده (the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus) · de Schwung (an activity in response to a stimulus) · sh impetus (the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus) · de Schwung (something that impels) · de Anschub (something that impels) · az təkan (a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse) · bg стимул (something that impels) · de Triebkraft (a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse) · oc estimulacion (an activity in response to a stimulus) · sh impuls (the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus) · cs impuls (a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse) · nl drijvende kracht (the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus) · ru сти́мул (something that impels) · fi sysäys (something that impels) · es ímpetu (a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse) · uk імпульс (something that impels) · oc estimulús (the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus) · mi kipakipa (something that impels) · ru и́мпульс (something that impels) · cs popud (something that impels) · fi liikevoima (the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus) · ru толчо́к (something that impels) · sh impetus (something that impels) · de Antrieb (the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus) · bn উদ্দীপনা (something that impels) · uk поштовх (something that impels) · bg импулс (a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse) · cs stimul (the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus) · mi āinga (something that impels) · nl stuwkracht (a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse) · pt impulso (the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus) · sh poticaj (the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus) · fr élan (a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse) · nl impuls (something that impels) · de Anstoß (something that impels) · fi sysäys (a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse) · it spinta (something that impels) · az təkan (something that impels) · nl stimulans (an activity in response to a stimulus) · oc impulsion (the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus) · bg устрем (the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus) · sh poticaj (something that impels) · es ímpetu (an activity in response to a stimulus) · sh impuls (something that impels) · es ímpetu (something that impels)