English Reference

Word

import

Phoneticsim·port, stress on the first syllable

/ˈɪmˌpɔɹt/

Definitions

01goods from abroad

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun

n. a product or service brought into one country from another to be sold.

n. a commodity, article, or service brought in from abroad for sale or trade.

“The shop sells a wide variety of luxury imports from Italy and France.”

“The government recently introduced stricter tariffs on agricultural imports to protect domestic farmers from international competition.”

Synonyms

foreign goodcommodity

Antonyms

02importance

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal

n. the meaning or importance of something.

n. the significance or importance of something; the implicit meaning conveyed by a statement or event.

“It was a decision of great import for the future of the company.”

“The full import of the judge's ruling only became clear after legal experts had time to review the written transcript.”

Antonyms

insignificancetriviality

03to bring in goods

B1 · Intermediate

v. to buy or bring in products from another country.

v. to bring goods or services into a country from abroad for sale. Transitive — requires a direct object.

“The company imports most of its raw materials from South America.”

“By importing components rather than manufacturing them locally, the firm managed to reduce its overhead costs significantly during the first quarter.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

04computing

B1 · Intermediate Computing

v. to bring information or a file into a computer program from a different place.

v. to transfer data or files into a software application from an external source or a different format.

“You can easily import your old contacts into the new email app.”

“The software allows users to import high-resolution images directly from their cameras without losing any metadata in the process.”

Antonyms

Collocations

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “import” in context.

Verb

01. ban the import

“The government decided to ban the import of certain plastic products to protect the environment.”

verb + noun

02. limit the import

“New laws were passed to limit the import of foreign cars this year.”

verb + noun

03. rely on imports

“The island nation has to rely on imports for most of its food supply.”

verb + prep + noun

Adjective

04. cheap imports

“Local farmers are struggling to compete with cheap imports from abroad.”

adj + noun

05. illegal imports

“Customs officers are working hard to stop illegal imports of endangered animals.”

adj + noun

Noun

06. import duties

“You may have to pay import duties when you buy electronics from another country.”

noun + noun

07. import quota

“The government set a strict import quota on textile goods to help local factories.”

noun + noun

Preposition

08. of great import

“The discovery of the new virus was a matter of great import to the medical community.”

prep + noun

Etymology

From Middle English importen, from Old French emporter, importer, from Latin importō (“bring in from abroad, import”, verb), from in (“in, at, on; into”) + portō (“to carry, bear; convey”).

From Italian importare, and French importer, from Latin importō.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

ADJECTIVE

Domain

Computing

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
Frequency
Common
Level
B1 · IntermediateOxford
Updated

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