imp

UK: /ˈɪmp/ US: /ɪmp/ ,(imp)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

imp /ɪmp/   n. [countable]

1. Mythology a small devil or demon.
2. a mischievous child:
   That little imp spilled his cereal all over the floor!

imp.,  an abbreviation of:

1. Grammar imperative.
2. Grammar imperfect.
3. imperial.
4. import.
5. imprint.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

imp  (imp), n. 

1. Mythology a little devil or demon;
   an evil spirit.
2. a mischievous child.
3. [Archaic.] a scion or offshoot of a plant or tree.
4. [Archaic.] an offspring.

v.t. 

5. Sport [Falconry.]
   • to graft (feathers) into a wing.
   • to furnish (a wing, tail, etc.) with feathers, as to make good losses or deficiencies and improve powers of flight.
6. [Archaic.] to add a piece to;
   mend or repair.

• phrase imp of the devil
• Greek émphytos planted, implanted, verb, verbal adjective, adjectival of emphŷein to implant (em- em-² + phŷein to bring forth); (verb, verbal) Middle English impen to plant, graft, Old English impian, geimpian, derivative of the noun, nominal (compare Old High German impfōn, impitōn German impfen to inoculate); sense "demon''
• Late Latin impotus, imputus grafted shoot
• (noun, nominal) Middle English impe, Old English impa, impe shoot, graft bef. 900

Synonyms

• 2. scamp, rascal, brat, devil.

IMP, 

1. Games International Match Point.

Imp., 

1. Emperor.
• Latin Imperātor
2. Empress.
• Latin Imperātor

imp., 

1. Grammar imperative.
2. Grammar imperfect.
3. imperial.
4. impersonal.
5. implement.
6. import.
7. important.
8. imported.
9. importer.
10. imprimatur.
11. in the first place.
• Latin imprīmīs
12. imprint.
13. improper.
14. improved.
15. improvement.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

imp / ɪmp/ noun

1. a small demon or devil; mischievous sprite
2. a mischievous child

verb

1. (transitive) to insert (new feathers) into the stumps of broken feathers in order to repair the wing of a hawk or falcon

Etymology: Old English impa bud, graft, hence offspring, child, from impian to graft, ultimately from Greek emphutos implanted, from emphuein to implant, from phuein to plant

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

imp. abbreviation

1. imperative
2. imperfect
3. imperial