What is the Latin word for imminent?

The usual Latin words for “imminent” are impendō, summus, terror; also īnstō, bellum, perīculum. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“imminent” in Latin

impendōto spend or expend; to devote (money, time etc.) to summushighest; greatest, best, utmost; the highest part of, the top of, uppermost of terrora dread, terror, great fear, alarm, panic; an object of fear or dread īnstōto stand upon, set foot on; to be nearby, close to, be imminent; to assail, press upon, harass bellumwar perīculumtrial, experiment, attempt, proof, essay; risk, hazard, danger, peril; ruin, destruction clādēsa breaking; destruction, disaster; defeat

The English word imminent itself goes back to Latin mineō, through imminēre.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

imminent

impendens (e.g., impendentem evitare tempestatem, Nep.). Imminent danger, praesens periculum; or (when vaguely used) summum or maximum periculum. To be imminent, impendere (to be hanging over one; terror, terrores, belli timor, etc.); instare (to be at hand; bellum, periculum, clades): ☞ imminere is used by Cic. of enemies, nations, countries, etc., that seem, as it were, to be hanging over an object in a threatening manner, and ready to pounce upon it; and also of death, and generally ea quae imminent: not with abstract notions, such as war, danger, etc., but imminente bello (Quint.); periculum, quod imminere ipsi portenderetur (Suet.).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for imminent?: The usual Latin words for “imminent” are impendō, summus, terror; also īnstō, bellum, perīculum. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.