Importunity

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɪmpɔːˈtjuːnɪti/

Definitions

1. The act of making insistent, often unwelcome requests is characterized by a degree of urgency that typically exceeds social norms
2. A persistent plea that borders on being intrusive reflects a strong desire for something regarded as excessive
3. The behavior of persistently demanding or requesting something, often to the point of annoyance, clearly indicates a powerful urge for that which is sought

Etymology: The Latin root is "importunus", literally "not" plus "portus", meaning "harbour" or "haven". An "importunus" thing was one that could not be brought into harbour: unsuitable, unwelcome, rude, or relentless. The image is of a ship that will not stop at the port, or of weather that keeps a vessel from reaching shelter. The Latin noun "importunitas" carried the same spread of meanings, from rudeness and insolence to oppressiveness and unsuitability. English borrowed the word in the late Middle Ages, where it first meant insistence or persistence, and also grievance, hardship, and trouble. The sense of pressing, unwelcome demands, which is all that remains today, came to dominate over the centuries that followed.

Synonyms: insistence, urgency, entreaty

Antonyms: apathy, indifference