Impact

[Définitions et dérivés controversés]

FRE​

Histoire du terme

IMPACT n.m. est un emprunt tardif (1824) au latin impactum, participe passé neutre substantivé, comme pactum( --> pacte) de impingere « frapper contre », « jeter contre », dérivé de pangere « enfoncer » [...] Impact a le sens de « heurt, collision », surtout dans point d'impact (1825) « endroit où un projectile vient frapper » ; par extension, le mot désigne la trace laissée par un projectile. Figurément, impact s'emploie couramment (v. 1995) pour « effet d'une action brutale », « retentissement » et, par affaiblissement de sens, pour « influence (d'une personnalité, d'un événement) ».
IMPACTER v. tr. (1934, Revue habdomadaire) sous l'influence du verbe anglais impact, correspond à « avoir une influence (un impact) sur », dans plusieurs domaines spéciaux. Le verbe est devenu courant pour « influencer, avec un effet important sur... ». Son participe présent a fourni IMPACTANT, ANTE adj.  (1992), qualifiant ce qui a un effet, en général négatif, sur une situation (politique, économique...).

Rey A, Tomi M, Hordé T, Tanet C. Dictionnaire historique de la langue française. Nouvelle édition. Paris: Le Robert; 2022. 


Usages courants

Extrait de « IMPACT subst.masc. »

A. − TECHNOL. (notamment balist.). Collision, heurt entre deux corps. [...]
B. − Au fig. (dans la langue journalistique et publicitaire notamment). 1. Effet de choc, retentissement (d'une action forte) (sur quelqu'un ou quelque chose). Force, puissance d'impact; impact d'un discours, d'une nouvelle. [...] 2. Vive répercussion produite (sur l'opinion). Synon. effet, retentissement. Rem. Cet emploi 2 est rejeté par les puristes. 3. ÉCON. ,,Effet d'une décision ou d'une activité sur l'économie nationale ou régionale`[...] 4. [Par affaiblissement de sens] Influence déterminante, décisive (d'une personnalité). 

Centre National de Ressources Textuelles et Lexicales (CNRTL). Définition de IMPACT. CNRTL : lexicographie [Internet]. CNRTL. 2012   [cité 22 fév 2024]. Disponible sur: https://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/impact

Définition de impact, nom masculin

1. Collision, heurt. Point d'impact, endroit où un projectile vient frapper et, par extension, trace qu'il laisse. Relever les points d'impact des balles. 
2. Au figuré Effet produit, action exercée. L'impact d'une campagne publicitaire.

Le Robert. Définition de Impact [Internet]. Dico en ligne Le Robert. 2023 [cité 22 fév 2024]. Disponible sur: https://dictionnaire.lerobert.com/definition/impact


Définition de impacter, ​​ verbe transitif 

anglicisme Avoir un impact, une incidence, des répercussions sur. ➙ affecter. ​

Le Robert. Définition de Impacter [Internet]. Dico en ligne Le Robert. 2023 [cité 22 fév 2024]. Disponible sur: https://dictionnaire.lerobert.com/definition/impacter


ENG​

​​Définitions antérieures à 2023​

Impact, noun, verb

♦ noun [C, usually sing.] 1. ~ (of sth) (on sb/sth) the poweful effect that sth has on sb/sth [...] 2. the act of one object hitting another; the force with which this happens;  [ex.] the bomb explodes on impact (= when it hits something), the car is fitted with side impact bars (= to protect it from a blow from the side).
♦ verb . 1. ~ (on/upon) sth to have an effect on sth. syn. AFFECT. 2. ~ (on/upon/with) sth (formal) to hit sth with great force


Hornby AS, Wehmeier S, éditeurs. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English. Seventh edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2009.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language (5th ed, 2022, en ligne)

 impact

n.1. a. The striking of one body against another; collision. See Synonyms at collision.b. The force transmitted by a collision.2. The effect or impression of one person or thing on another: still gauging the impact of automation on the lives of factory workers.
v. im·pact·ed, im·pact·ing, im·pacts v.tr.1. To pack firmly together.2. To strike forcefully: meteorites impacting the lunar surface.3. To have an effect or impact on: "No region ... has been more impacted by emerging ... economic trends" (Joel Kotkin).v.intr. To have an effect or impact. See Usage Note below.[From Latin impāctus, past participle of impingere, to push against; see IMPINGE.] 
Usage Note: 
Impact in the figurative sense of "a dramatic effect" came under criticism in the 1960s, both as a noun and verb. Complaints that the noun was a pointless hyperbole and a vogue word turned out to be short-lived, and this usage is now is standard: in our 2015 survey, 97 percent of the Usage Panel accepted The program might have a positive impact on our nation's youth. (A similar sentence was accepted by 93 percent of the Panel in 2001.) 
The verb is a different matter. Many people dislike it because they assume it was converted from the noun in the manner of voguish and bureaucratic words like dialogue and interface, but in fact impact was a verb long before it was a noun—the verb dates from the early 1600s, the noun from the late 1700s. Most of the Panelists still disapprove of the intransitive use of the verb meaning "to have an effect": in our 2015 survey, 78 percent of the Panel (down only slightly from 85 percent in 2001) rejected These policies are impacting on our ability to achieve success. 
The transitive version was once as vilified, but is gradually becoming more acceptable: in 2015, only 50 percent (down from 80 percent in 2001) rejected The court ruling will impact the education of minority students, and only 39 percent (down from 66 percent in 2001) found the literal sense unacceptable in the sentence Thousands of meteors have impacted the lunar surface. 

Although resistance to the transitive senses is waning, the intransitive use is still strongly disliked and is best avoided. See Usage Notes at contact, impactful.

[s.n.]. Impact [Internet]. The American Heritage Dictionary. 2024 [cité 22 fev 2024]. Disponible sur: https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=impact


im·pact·ful 

adj.   Usage Problem Having a significant or powerful effect. 
Usage Note: 
The word impactful rankles many people. Even though the -ful suffix was historically productive, yielding helpful words like eventful, bountiful, wonderful, and helpful itself, many view impactful as an affront to the English language, perhaps because of its association with the jargon of advertising and business. 
In our 2015 survey, 77 percent of the Usage Panel found the sentence This software will allow you to create impactful and original imagery to be unacceptable. 

Using this word in your speech and writing will undoubtedly have a great impact, but probably not in the way you'd like. 

[s.n.]. Impactful [Internet]. The American Heritage Dictionary. 2024 [cité 22 fev 2024]. Disponible sur: https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=impactful



Usages courants à partir de 2023

IMPACT

noun

1.  the striking of one thing against another; forceful contact; collision: The impact of the colliding cars broke the windshield.
2.   an impinging: the impact of light on the eye.
3.  influence; effect: the impact of Einstein on modern physics.
4.  an impacting; forcible impinging: the tremendous impact of the shot.
5.  the force exerted by a new idea, concept, technology, or ideology: the impact of the industrial revolution.


verb (used with object)

6.  to drive or press closely or firmly into something; pack in.
7. to fill up; congest; throng: A vast crowd impacted St. Peter's Square.
8. to collide with; strike forcefully: a rocket designed to impact the planet Mars.
9.  to have an impact or effect on; influence; alter: The decision may impact your whole career. The auto industry will be impacted by the new labor agreements.


verb (used without object)

10.   to have impact or make contact forcefully: The ball impacted against the bat with a loud noise.
11.  to have an impact or effect: Increased demand will impact on sales.


Dictionary.com, LLC. Dictionary.com: Meanings & Definitions of English Words [Internet]. Dictionary.com. 2024 [cité 2 fev 2024]. Disponible sur: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/impact


IMPACTFUL

adjective

1. having or manifesting a great impact or effect: After the senator's impactful speech, her bill passed.

Dictionary.com, LLC. Dictionary.com: Meanings & Definitions of English Words [Internet]. Dictionary.com. 2024 [cité 2 fev 2024]. Disponible sur: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/impactful


Merriam-Webster (en ligne)

Impact, noun

plural impacts [...]  1 a : an impinging or striking especially of one body against another 1 b : a forceful contact or onset also : the impetus communicated in or as if in such a contact 
2 : the force of impression of one thing on another : a significant or major effect


Impact, verb

impacted; impacting; impacts

transitive verb

1 a : to have a direct effect or impact on : impinge on 1 b : to strike forcefully also : to cause to strike forcefully 
2 a : to fix firmly by or as if by packing or wedging 2 b : to press together

intransitive verb

1 : to have an impact —often used with on
2 : to impinge or make contact especially forcefully  

​  Did you know?

​

Is impact a verb?

​

You may occasionally run into claims that impact is not a verb, or that it is somehow ill-suited to a role in this part of speech. Not only is that not the case, but the verb form of impact is much older than the noun form. It is possible that the word started attracting more displeasure when it began being widely used in a figurative sense as a transitive verb ("we expect the recession to impact the company"). 

​

The word is certainly a verb, although before using it in this manner in writing it is worth considering your audience, and whether members of it are likely to consider this use problematic.


Kids Definition

Impact, verb

1 : to have a strong effect on; volcanic ash impacted weather conditions worldwide 
2 : to hit or cause to hit with force

Impact, noun

1 : a striking together of two bodies : collision 
2 : a forceful effect 

 [s.n.]. Definition of Impact [Internet]. Merriam-Webster. 2024 [cité 22 fev 2024]. Disponible sur: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impact

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary​

impact, noun [countable, usually singular, uncountable]

1.  the powerful effect that something has on somebody/something [...]
2. the act of one object hitting another; the force with which this happens [...]

Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Impact - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes [Internet]. Oxford Learners Dictionaries. 2024 [cité 22 fév 2024]. Disponible sur: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/impact_1


Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

impact, noun

1. impact (of something) (on somebody/something) the powerful effect that something has on someone or something 
2. the act of one object hitting another; the force with which this happens

Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Impact_1 noun  - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes [Internet]. Oxford Learners Dictionaries. 2024 [cité 22 fev 2024]. Disponible sur: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/american_english/impact_2

impact, verb 

1.  [intransitive, transitive] to have an effect on something;  impact on/upon something [or] impact something (business)
2.  [intransitive, transitive] impact (on/upon/with) something (formal) to hit something with great force 

Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Impact_2 - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes [Internet]. Oxford Learners Dictionaries. 2024 [cité 22 fev 2024]. Disponible sur: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/american_english/impact_2


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