import
noun
COMMERCE uk/ˈɪmpɔːt/ us [ C, usually plural ]
a product that is made in one country and brought into another, especially in order to sell it:
Oil is our most important import by far.
cheap/expensive/imports
[ C or U ]
the activity or business of bringing goods into a country from another country:
The authorities imposed a ban on imports of hormone-treated beef.
Trade (the sum of exports and imports) was equivalent to 44% of GDP.
The officials were accused of evading tariffs on the import of cars and other luxury goods.
imports [ plural ]
the quantity of goods brought into one country from another during a particular period of time, or the value of these goods:
US imports of vehicles from Japan rose to $2.23 billion in March.
growth/increase/decline in imports
See also
direct import
parallel import
visible imports
Compare
export verb
import
verb
uk/ɪmˈpɔːt/ us [ I or T ] COMMERCE
to bring a product into a country from another country, especially in order to sell it:
In some large chains, more than 80% of all produce is imported.
For four consecutive quarters, the country has exported more than it has imported.
import sth from/into sth We can undercut British showroom prices by up to 30% by importing cars from cheaper European markets.
Some of the Chinese cars being imported into European countries use electrical components from Germany.
Machinery products must comply with the safety regulations of the importing countries.
[ T ]
to introduce new goods, customs, or ideas to one country from another:
The Brazilian-owned steel company has become one of the two biggest employers in town, importing a new management style and fresh capital to the area.
[ T ] IT
to copy information from one computer or computer program to another:
The images can be imported directly into the page layout.
Compare
export verb
importable
adjective
20 industrial fabrics were moved on to the list of freely importable goods in 2005.