Definitions for imperfect
ɪmˈpɜr fɪktim·per·fect

Princeton's WordNet(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. progressive, progressive tense, imperfect, imperfect tense, continuous tense(noun)

   a tense of verbs used in describing action that is on-going

2. fallible, frail, imperfect, weak(adj)

   wanting in moral strength, courage, or will; having the attributes of man as opposed to e.g. divine beings

   "I'm only a fallible human"; "frail humanity"

3. imperfect(adj)

   not perfect; defective or inadequate

   "had only an imperfect understanding of his responsibilities"; "imperfect mortals"; "drainage here is imperfect"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. imperfect(Noun)

   Something having a minor flaw

2. imperfect(Noun)

   A tense of verbs used in describing a past action that is incomplete or continuous.

3. imperfect(Adjective)

   Not perfect

4. imperfect(Adjective)

   unisexual: having either male (with stamens) or female (with pistil) flowers, but not with both.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Imperfect(adj)

   not perfect; not complete in all its parts; wanting a part; deective; deficient

   Etymology: [L. imperfectus: pref. im- not + perfectus perfect: cf. F imparfait, whence OE. imparfit. See Perfect.]

2. Imperfect(adj)

   wanting in some elementary organ that is essential to successful or normal activity

   Etymology: [L. imperfectus: pref. im- not + perfectus perfect: cf. F imparfait, whence OE. imparfit. See Perfect.]

3. Imperfect(adj)

   not fulfilling its design; not realizing an ideal; not conformed to a standard or rule; not satisfying the taste or conscience; esthetically or morally defective

   Etymology: [L. imperfectus: pref. im- not + perfectus perfect: cf. F imparfait, whence OE. imparfit. See Perfect.]

4. Imperfect(noun)

   the imperfect tense; or the form of a verb denoting the imperfect tense

   Etymology: [L. imperfectus: pref. im- not + perfectus perfect: cf. F imparfait, whence OE. imparfit. See Perfect.]

5. Imperfect(verb)

   to make imperfect

   Etymology: [L. imperfectus: pref. im- not + perfectus perfect: cf. F imparfait, whence OE. imparfit. See Perfect.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Imperfect

   The imperfect is a verb form, found in various languages, which combines past tense and imperfective aspect. It can therefore have meanings similar to the English "was walking" or "used to walk". It contrasts with preterite forms, which refer to a single completed event in the past. Traditionally, the imperfect of languages such as Latin and French is referred to as one of the tenses, although in fact it encodes aspectual information in addition to tense. It may be more precisely called past imperfective. When used in relation to English, "imperfect" usually refers to forms like was doing or were doing, but these are more commonly called past progressive or past continuous. The term can take on specific conventional meanings in the grammars of particular languages. In German, Imperfekt was used to refer to the simply conjugated past tense, but the term Präteritum is now preferred, since the form does not carry any implication of imperfective aspect.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Imperfect

   im-pėr′fekt, adj. incomplete: defective: not fulfilling its design: liable to err.—adv. Imper′fectly.—ns. Imper′fectness, Imperfec′tion.

How to pronounce imperfect?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

How to say imperfect in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of imperfect in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of imperfect in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of imperfect in a Sentence

1. Ryan Schott:

   We live in an imperfect physical universe.

2. Jack Markell:

   The use of capital punishment is an instrument of imperfect justice that doesn't make us any safer, it is my hope that today's decision will mean that we never see another death sentence in our state.

3. Mike Leavitt:

   When the economy is less of an issue and there's a lack of stability in the world, then security becomes a huge issue, we find ourselves in a situation with an imperfect but improving economy, but a lot of conflict in the world.

4. Dejan Stojanovic:

   There is something perfect to be found in the imperfect: the law keeps balance through the juxtaposition of beauty, which gains perfection through nurtured imperfection.

5. Joseph Priestly:

   In completing one discovery we never fail to get an imperfect knowledge of others of which we could have no idea before, so that we cannot solve one doubt without creating several new ones.

Images & Illustrations of imperfect

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