- Not perfect.
- Grammar. Of or being the tense of a verb that shows, usually in the past, an action or a condition as incomplete, continuous, or coincident with another action.
- Botany. Having either stamens or a pistil only. Used of a flower.
- Law. Not legally enforceable: an imperfect contract.
- A piece of merchandise having a minor flaw that does not impair its use, usually sold at a discount.
- (Abbr. imp. or imperf.) Grammar.
- The imperfect tense.
- A verb in the imperfect tense.
[Middle English imparfit, from Old French imparfait, from Latin imperfectus : in-, not; see in-1 + perfectus, perfect; see perfect.]
imperfectly im·per'fect·ly adv.imperfectness im·per'fect·ness n.





