impudent

English

Etymology

From Middle English impudent, originally meaning immodest, shameless, from Latin impudēns (“shameless”), ultimately from in- +‎ pudere (“to feel shame”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɪmpjʊdənt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɪmpjədn̩t/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: im‧pu‧dent

Adjective

impudent (comparative more impudent or (informal) impudenter, superlative most impudent or (informal) impudentest)

1. Not showing due respect; bold-faced, impertinent.

   Synonyms: bold, brazen-faced, insolent; see also Thesaurus:cheeky

   The impudent children would not stop talking in class.

   • c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, ”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , page 79, column 2:

     Sir Iohn, ſir Iohn, I am well acquainted with your maner of wrenching the true cauſe,the falſe way. It is not a confident brow, nor the throng of wordes, that come with ſuch (more then impudent) ſawcines from you, can thruſt me from a leuell conſideration, […]

   • 1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, “Paul’s Further Progress, Growth, and Character”, in Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, , published 1848, →OCLC, page 75:

     “Wickam,” retorted Mrs. Pipchin, coloring, “is a wicked, impudent, bold-faced hussy.”

   • 1877, Emma Jane Worboise, “The New Evangeline”, in The Grey House at Endlestone, London: James Clarke and Co., ; Hodder and Stoughton, , →OCLC, page 480:

     And another asked me if I had come to get a Canadian sweetheart; and a third, one of the impudentest, most conceitedest fellows I ever did set eyes upon, nudged me, so that I spilled my coffee all over my second-best damask-silk apron—the one with bugle fringe, you know, Miss Capel—and says he, 'Is it a case of Barkis is willin'?'

2. (obsolete) Lacking modesty or shame; indelicate.
   • c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , page 252, column 2:

     Dian. Good my Lord,
     Aske him vpon his oath, if hee do’s thinke
     He had not my virginity.
     Kin. What ſaift thou to her?
     Ber. She’s impudent my Lord,
     And was a common gameſter to the Campe.
     Dia. He do’s me wrong my Lord: If I were ſo,
     He might haue bought me at a common price.

   • 1611, The Holy Bible,  (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , →OCLC, Proverbs 7:13–15:

     So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face, said vnto him, I haue peace offerings with me: this day haue I paid my vowes. Therefore came I forth to meete thee, diligently to seeke thy face, and I haue found thee.

   • 1611, The Holy Bible,  (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , →OCLC, Ecclesiasticus 19:2:

     Wine and women will make men of vnderstanding to fall away, and he that cleaueth to harlots will become impudent.

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

References

Further reading

• “impudent”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “impudent (adj.)”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
• John A. Simpson and Edmund S. C. Weiner, editors (1989), “impudent, a. (n.)”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, →ISBN.
• “impudent”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin impudentem.

Adjective

impudent m or f (masculine and feminine plural impudents)

1. impudent

Derived terms

• impudentment

Related terms

• impudència

Further reading

• “impudent” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “impudent”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2024
• “impudent” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “impudent” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French impudent, from Latin impudentem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛ̃.py.dɑ̃/

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

impudent (feminine impudente, masculine plural impudents, feminine plural impudentes)

1. impudent

Related terms

• impudence

Further reading

• “impudent”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

Middle English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin impudēns.

Adjective

impudent

1. shameless, immodest

References

• “impudent, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Middle French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin impudēns.

Adjective

impudent m (feminine singular impudente, masculine plural impudens, feminine plural impudentes)

1. impudent