impediment C1 Topic:Describing Qualities US /ɪmˈpɛdɪmənt/ See IPA manual Freq #26668 Meanings 1 noun Something that gets in the way and makes progress difficult. A lack of funding was the main impediment to the project. 2 noun A condition that makes speaking or hearing difficult. He overcame a speech impediment to become a confident public speaker. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · something that gets in the... obstructionbalk More hindranceobstacle Word family Forms impediments Derived forms impedimentalimpedimented Related forms impedeimpedimenta Etymology AI details From Middle English impediment, borrowed from Latin impedimentum. *ped- Proto-Indo-European impediment Middle English impedimentum Latin View etymology graph -> Topics Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # impediment **Type:** Word **Level:** C1 **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /ɪmˈpɛdɪmənt/ **Frequency rank:** 26668 ## Meanings 1. Something that gets in the way and makes progress difficult. 2. A condition that makes speaking or hearing difficult. ## Examples - A lack of funding was the main impediment to the project. - He overcame a speech impediment to become a confident public speaker. ## Synonyms - hindrance - obstacle - obstruction ## Derived Forms - impedimental - impedimented ## Related Forms - impede - impedimenta ## Roots and Affixes - Root: *ped- - Root: impediment - Root: impedimentum ## Etymology From Middle English impediment, borrowed from Latin impedimentum. ## AI Etymology Impediment is from Middle English impediment, borrowed from Latin impedimentum. In present-day use, it can mean something that gets in the way and makes progress difficult, or a condition that makes speaking or hearing difficult. Related forms include impede, impedimenta. Derived formations include impedimental, impedimented. ## Topics - Describing Qualities - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown