imp

imp · verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*bʰuH-“to appear; to become; to grow”
2. Ancient Greek · derived fromἔμφῠτος“implanted; planted”
3. Vulgar Latin · derived from*imputō“to graft”
4. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*impōn“to graft”
5. Old English · inherited fromimpian
6. Middle English · inherited fromimpen
7. English todayimp

From Middle English impen, ympen (“to plant; (figuratively) to bury; to graft; to add to, insert, put into, set in; to mend (a falcon’s feather) by attaching a new feather on to the broken stump”), from Old English impian, ġeimpian (“to graft”), from Proto-West Germanic *impōn (“to graft”), from Vulgar Latin *imputō (“to graft”), from Ancient Greek ἔμφῠτος (émphŭtos, “implanted; planted”), from ἐμφῠ́ω (emphŭ́ō, “to implant”, from ἐν- (en-, prefix meaning ‘in’) + φῠ́ω (phŭ́ō, “to bring forth, produce; to grow”, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to appear; to become; to grow”))) + -τος (-tos).

imp · noun²

1. Old English · inherited fromimpa
2. Middle English · inherited fromimpe
3. English todayimp

From Middle English impe, ympe (“tree branch; shoot, sprig; graft, scion; young tree, sapling, seedling; tree”) [and other forms], from Old English impa, impe (“shoot, sprig; graft, scion; young tree, sapling, seedling”), from impian, ġeimpian (“to graft”) (see etymology 1).

imp · noun³

From implementer.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 16th c. A small, mischievous sprite or a malevolent supernatural creature, somewhat comparable to a demon but smaller and less powerful, formerly regarded as the child of the devil or a demon (see sense 3.2).
• from 17th c. A mischievous child.
• 9th–18th c. A young shoot of a plant, a tree, etc.; a sapling; also, a part of a plant used for grafting; a graft.
• 15th–19th c. An offspring or scion, especially of a noble family; (generally) a (usually male) child; a (young) man.