impulsive

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French impulsif, from Latin impulsivus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɪmˈpʌlsɪv/

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

Adjective

impulsive (comparative more impulsive, superlative most impulsive)

1. Having the power of driving or impelling; giving an impulse; moving; impellent.
   • 1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Alma: Or, The Progress of the Mind”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], and John Barber […], →OCLC:

     Poor men! poor papers! We and they / Do some impulsive force obey.

2. Actuated by impulse or by transient feelings; inclined to make rapid decisions without due consideration.
   • 1847 November 1, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Evangeline, a Tale of Acadie, Boston, Mass.: William D. Ticknor & Company, →OCLC, (please specify either |part=I or II):

     my heart, impulsive and wayward

3. (mechanics) Acting momentarily, or by impulse; not continuous – said of forces.

Related terms

• impulse
• impulsion
• impulsively
• impulsiveness
• impulsor
• impulsory

Translations

having the power of driving or impelling; giving an impulse; moving; impellent

• Bulgarian: възбуждащ (bg) (vǎzbuždašt), задвижващ (bg) (zadvižvašt)
• Catalan: impulsiu (ca)
• Czech: impulsivní
• Dutch: impulsief (nl)
• Finnish: impulsiivinen (fi)
• French: impulsif (fr)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Italian: impulsivo (it)
• Portuguese: impulsivo (pt), impelente, impulsor
• Romanian: impulsiv (ro)
• Russian: импульси́вный (ru) (impulʹsívnyj)
• Scottish Gaelic: spreigearra
• Spanish: impulsivo (es)

actuated by impulse or by transient feelings

• Bulgarian: импулсен (bg) (impulsen)
• Catalan: impulsiu (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 衝動 / 冲动 (zh) (chōngdòng)

• Czech: impulsivní
• Danish: impulsiv
• Dutch: impulsief (nl), impulsief (nl)
• Esperanto: facilanima
• Finnish: impulsiivinen (fi)
• French: impulsif (fr)
• German: impulsiv (de)
• Greek:

  Ancient: ὁρμητικός (hormētikós)

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Icelandic: hvatvís
• Ido: impulsiva (io)
• Italian: impulsivo (it)
• Korean: 충동적인 (chungdongjeogin)
• Maori: ohia, manawarere
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: impulsiv

  Nynorsk: impulsiv

• Portuguese: impulsivo (pt)
• Romanian: impulsiv (ro)
• Russian: импульси́вный (ru) (impulʹsívnyj)
• Scottish Gaelic: spreigearra
• Spanish: impulsivo (es)

(mechanics) acting momentarily, or by impulse; not continuous

• Bulgarian: импулсен (bg) (impulsen)
• Czech: impulsivní
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Dutch: impulsief (nl)
• Finnish: äkillinen (fi)
• French: impulsif (fr)
• German: impulsiv (de)
• Italian: impulsivo (it)
• Spanish: impulsivo (es)

highly reactive; inclined to make rapid decisions without due consideration

• Bulgarian: импулсивен (bg) (impulsiven)
• Catalan: impulsiu (ca)
• Czech: impulzivní
• Danish: impulsiv
• Dutch: impulsief (nl)
• Esperanto: impulsiĝema
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Finnish: äkkipikainen (fi), impulsiivinen (fi)
• French: impulsif (fr)
• German: impulsiv (de)
• Maori: takahorohoro
• Portuguese: impulsivo (pt)
• Scottish Gaelic: spreigearra
• Spanish: impulsivo (es)

References

• “impulsive”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “impulsive”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Noun

impulsive (plural impulsives)

1. That which impels or gives an impulse; an impelling agent.
   • 1613, Henry Wotton, letter to Edmund Bacon

     Notwithstanding all which Motives and impulsives , Sir Thomas Overbury refused to be sent abroad , with such terms

2. One whose behaviour or personality is characterized by being impulsive.

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French

Adjective

impulsive

1. feminine singular of impulsif

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German

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

impulsive

1. inflection of impulsiv:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

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Italian

Adjective

impulsive f pl

1. feminine plural of impulsivo

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Latin

Adjective

(deprecated template usage) impulsīve

1. vocative masculine singular of impulsīvus

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Norwegian Bokmål

Adjective

1. definite singular/plural of impulsiv

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Norwegian Nynorsk

Adjective

1. definite singular/plural of impulsiv