important: [16] Important and import (the opposite of export) come from the same source – Latin importāre, a compound verb formed from the prefix in- and portāre ‘carry’ (as in English portable). Its original literal sense (as represented in the English verb import [16]) was ‘bring in’, but in the Middle Ages this developed metaphorically to ‘imply, mean’ (which is what French importer and Italian importare signify), and its present participle importāns gave English important. => import, port, portable
mid-15c., from Middle French important and directly from Medieval Latin importantem (nominative importans), present participle of importare "be significant in," from Latin importare "bring in" (see import). Related: Importantly.
