Etymograph

English

import

Import comes from Latin importō ‘bring in from abroad, import’, and goes back to portō ‘to carry, bear’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEportō1‘to carry, bear’
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEimportō1‘bring in from abroad, import’
  3. Old Frenchc. 842–1400emporter1
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500importen1
  5. Englishearliest quotation 2025import1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English import
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2025, John Towfighi: “Trump’s July 8 announcement of a 50% tariff on…”.

Earlier history uncertain. See Wiktionary.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEportōWiktionary, English import‘to carry, bear’
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEimportōWiktionary, English import‘bring in from abroad, import’
  3. Old Frenchc. 842–1400emporterWiktionary, English import
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500importenWiktionary, English import
  5. Englishearliest quotation 2025importWiktionary, English import. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2025, John Towfighi: “Trump’s July 8 announcement of a 50% tariff on…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *per- ‘to lead, cross over, pass’

first, before, far, per, price, private, press, further, practice, fear, pre, appreciate, primary, prize, prior, pregnant, prime, practical, opportunity, afford, precious, praise, interpretation, ford, privilege, parade, par, ferry, pirate, fare, forth, pardon, prix, primitive, interpreter, pragmatic, privy, prism, proton, peril, 142 more

through Proto-Italic *portā ‘crossing’

porch, portal, porta, portico, 21 more

through Proto-Italic *portāō ‘to carry’

sport, rapporteur, 15 more

through Latin portō ‘to carry, bear’

support, report, transport, export, porter, rapport, deport, comport, 15 more

Another origin of import

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-uncertain
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pr̥téh₂uncertain
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*portā‘gate’uncertain
  4. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*portāō‘to carry’uncertain
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEportō‘carry, bear’
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEimportō‘to bring, carry or convey into’
  7. Italianc. 1300–presentimportare
  8. Englishtodayimport

Today it means

noun Something brought in from an exterior source, especially for sale or trade.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “import”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Latin portō / import

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