Other forms: impressions
An impression is the idea or feeling somebody leaves you with. A good impression, first impressions, under the impression.
First impressions form in well under a second and are hard to shift afterwards, which is why they matter more than they should. An impression is also a mark pressed into a surface, and a comic's imitation of somebody. In publishing, an impression is one printing run. Note that the Latin means pressing into.
1nounimpressionThe idea or feeling somebody leaves you with.
“She made a good impression at the interview and got the job.”
2nounmarkA mark pressed into a surface.
“The dinosaur left an impression of its foot in the mud, which later turned to stone.”
Too few real examples of this word to estimate which sense is commonest.
impression is an effect on the mind, or a mark.
Latin impressio comes from imprimere, to press into — in plus premere. Press, print and express come from the same pressing.
Latin
impressiō
Old French
impression
English, today
impression
From Old French impression, from Latin impressiō. From Old French impression, from Latin impressio. Equivalent to impress + ion.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA