Definition of impudent

The word "impudent" is derived from the Middle English "impaden," which in turn came from the Old French "empuder" meaning "to offend against decency or morality." The root of the word can be traced back to the Late Latin "impudēscere," which translated roughly to "to become shameless." The Latin prefix "im" in this context means "not" or "without," while "pudēscere" refers to the act of feeling shame or modesty. The "d" in the middle of the word converts the "s" sound at the end of "pudēscere" into a "t" sound, which is why "impudest" (meaning shameless) became "impudent" in modern English. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has recorded the use of the word "impudent" as far back as the 16th century, where it had a contextual definition of referring to "lewd" or "shameless" behavior. In later centuries, the meaning of the word expanded to describe actions that were rude, disrespectful, or lacking in proper manners. Today, "impudent" is most commonly used to describe behavior that is either ill-mannered or shows a lack of respect for social norms and expectations. The definition, however, can differ depending on the context in which the word is used. Regardless, its history is an interesting reflection on the evolution of language and the role of societal values in shaping the vocabulary we use today.