impetuous

im·pet·u·ous

adjective \im-ˈpech-wəs; -ˈpe-chə-, -chü-əs\

Definition of IMPETUOUS

1

: marked by impulsive vehemence or passion <an impetuous temperament>

2

: marked by force and violence of movement or action <an impetuous wind>

— im·pet·u·ous·ly adverb

— im·pet·u·ous·ness noun

Examples of IMPETUOUS

1. He's always been an impetuous young man.
2. In one episode of “The Sopranos,” … the young, impetuous mobster Christopher Moltisanti … tries to write a screenplay in the hours when he is not robbing trucks or picking up cannolis for Tony. —David Remnick, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2001
3. And from the beginning, NASA was trapped beneath the dominoes, as the Soviets knocked off first satellite, first man in space, first earth orbit, first space walk. But it was Kennedy's impetuous science-fiction PR that really put the pressure on, when he promised to put an American on the moon by the end of the decade. —Erik Davis, Village Voice, 26 July 1994
4. Men who don't wear hats are generally youthful, vigorous, impetuous, and have a devil-may-care glint in their eyes. —Mike Royko, Like I Was Sayin' …, 1984

Origin of IMPETUOUS

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin impetuosus, from Latin impetus (see impetus)

First Known Use: 14th century