NewsBlues mrsbgrammar Page 137
Chapter 2 Word Choice
127
imminent/eminent
Mrs. B thinks a word that has come up lately is worth discussing in
Grammar Corner: "imminent."
Notice it has two "m's."
"Imminent" means "soon to come."
The idea of something threatening is usually, but not always,
involved.
v
Two of the panels warned in a series of reports beginning in
1999 of IMMINENT danger from terrorists.
v
The end of his contract is IMMINENT, and no one in
management is talking to him.
"Eminent," on the other hand, has just one "m" and means
"prominent" or "outstanding" or "distinguished."
v
They claim theirs is the EMINENT newscast in town.
v
We interviewed an EMINENT professor of Middle Eastern
culture on the noon show today.
And you're likely to come across this use of "eminent":
v
By right of EMINENT DOMAIN, the state is buying property
for the outer belt at prices homeowners say are unfair.
"Eminent domain" is the power of a government to take private
property for public use, usually with some kind of compensation to
the owner.
Mrs. B hopes an EMINENT newscast is IMMINENT for you.
