I. im ‧ per ‧ a ‧ tive 1 /ɪmˈperətɪv/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: Late Latin ; Origin: imperativus , from Latin imperatus , past participle of imperare 'to command' ]
1 . extremely important and needing to be done or dealt with immediately:
It is imperative that politicians should be good communicators.
it is imperative (for somebody) to do something
It is imperative to meet face to face with the client.
2 . technical an imperative verb is one that expresses an order, such as ‘stand up’
—imperatively adverb
II. imperative 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
1 . something that must be done urgently:
A broad and balanced education is an imperative for raising standards.
2 . formal an idea or belief that has a strong influence on people, making them behave in a particular way:
Sharing food is the most important moral imperative in Semai society.
3 . technical the form of a verb that expresses an order. For example, in the order ‘Come here’, ‘come’ is in the imperative.