English Explanatory Dictionary

instant

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A very short period of time; a moment.
  2. A single, usually precise, point in time.
  3. A beverage or food which has been pre-processed to reduce preparation time, especially instant coffee.
  4. Ellipsis of instant camera.
adj
  1. Impending; imminent.
  2. Urgent; pressing; acute.
  3. Insistent; persistent.
  4. Present; current; extant.
  5. Occurring immediately; immediate; present.
  6. Lasting for a short moment; momentary; short-lived.
  7. Very quickly and easily prepared.
  8. Of the current month.
adv
  1. At once; immediately.
verb
  1. To urge, press (someone); to insist on, demand (something).

Pronunciation

/ˈɪnstənt/ en-us-instant.ogg

Word forms

instant instants instaunt instanting instanted

Etymology

From Middle English instant (“infinitely short period of time”), from Old French instant (“assiduous, at hand”, adjective), from Latin īnstāns, īnstantis (“present, pressing, urgent”, literally “standing near”), present active participle of īnstō (“to stand upon, be nearby”), from in- (“after”) + stō (“to stand”). Compare Old English instede (“immediately, on the spot, at once”). More at in, stand.

Synonyms

eyeblink flash jiffy bat of an eye bit blink of an eye crack glimpse half a mo instant jiff jot minute mo moment New York minute New York second no time sec second span split-second spurt stound tick trice twink twinkle twinkling while pending proximate around the corner at hand forthcoming imminent impendent impending in the offing in the wind on the boil upcoming to come toward exigent imperious acute bad clamant crying dire sore rash severe pressing pressive urgent instantaneous immediate insta-

Related words

instakill instance inst. inst instancy instantaneous instantaneously instanter instantial instantiate instantly

Derived words

on the instant point-instant this instant upon the instant iBuyer Instagram instantise instantize instant karma instant loss instant loss 2koma instantly instant mami instant mash instant mashed potatoes instant message instant messaging instant messenger instantness instant noodle instanton instant replay instant-runoff voting instant sunrise instant sunshine

Translations

Bulgarian: спешен Chinese Mandarin: 紧急的 Chinese Mandarin: 紧迫的 Dutch: dringend Dutch: ogenblikkelijk Finnish: välitön Finnish: kiireellinen German: dringend Hungarian: sürgős Hungarian: sürgető Irish: práinneach Japanese: 急ぎの Japanese: 火急の Japanese: 緊急の Romanian: urgent Russian: сро́чный Russian: настоя́тельный Russian: безотлага́тельный Turkish: acil
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