The quality or condition of being important; significance.
Personal status; standing.
Obsolete An important matter.
Obsolete Meaning; import.
Obsolete Importunity.
synonyms:
importance, consequence, moment, significance, import, weight These nouns refer to the state or quality of being significant, influential, or worthy of note or esteem. Importance is the most general term: the importance of a proper diet. Consequence is especially applicable to persons or things of notable rank or position ( scholars of consequence ) and to what is important because of its possible outcome, result, or effect ( tax laws of consequence to investors ). Moment implies importance or consequence that is readily apparent: making decisions of great moment. Significance and import refer to the quality of something, often not obvious, that gives it special meaning or value: an event of real significance; works of great social import. Weight suggests a personal evaluation or judgment of importance: “The popular faction at Rome . . . was led by men of weight” (J.A. Froude)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition