"significant" in seven languages
Meaningsignificant
Spanish
significativo
/signifikaˈtibo/
learned
French
significatif
/siɲifikatif/
learned
fem.: significative
Important or notable often sound more natural.
Italian
significativo
/siɲɲifikaˈtivo/
learned
Portuguese
significativo
/siɡnifikaˈtʃivu/
learned
Romanian
semnificativ
/semnifikaˈtiv/
learned
Catalan
significatiu
/siŋnifikəˈtiw/
learned
English
significant
/sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt/
from Latin/French · Latin significantem, from SIGNIFICĀRE
English → ItaliansignificantsignificativoCognateSame source — inherited, learned or borrowed. You can recognize it.What English and Italian share
The Latin ancestor
SIGNIFICĀRE‘to show by signs (SIGNUM + FACERE)’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
English uses the participle (significant), the sisters the Late Latin adjective in -ĪVUS (significativo, significatif). Italian and French say the gn as one palatal sound, ɲ.
English relatives: signify, significance, sign
Learn it
In a sentence
- esHubo una mejora significativa.
- frIl y a eu une amélioration significative.
- itC'è stato un miglioramento significativo.
- ptHouve uma melhora significativa.
- roA fost o îmbunătățire semnificativă.
- caHi va haver una millora significativa.
- enThere was a significant improvement.