instant

English

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Middle English instant (“infinitely short period of time”), from Old French instant (“assiduous, at hand”, adj), from Latin instans, instant- (“present, pressing, urgent”, literally “standing near”), from in + stāre (“to stand”). Compare Old English instede (“immediately, on the spot, at once”). More at in, stand.

Noun

instant (plural instants)

  1. A very short period of time; a moment.
    She paused for only an instant, which was just enough time for John to change the subject.
  2. A single, usually precise, point in time.
    The instant the alarm went off, he fled the building.
  3. A beverage or food which has been pre-processed to reduce preparation time, especially instant coffee.
  4. A day of the current month (abbreviated as: inst.)
    In response to your letter of the twenty-first instant...
Translations

Etymology 2

From Old French and French instant, from Latin instans (“standing by, being near, present, also urgent, importunate”), present participle of instare (“to stand upon, press upon, urge, pursue, insist”), from in (“on, upon”) + stare (“to stand”); see state.

Adjective

instant (not comparable)

  1. (dated) Impending; imminent.
    • Prior
      Impending death is thine, and instant doom.
  2. (dated) Urgent; pressing; acute.
    • Bible, Rom. xii. 12
      Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.
    • Carlyle
      I am beginning to be very instant for some sort of occupation.
  3. Occurring immediately; immediate; present.
    • Fuller
      The instant time is always the fittest time.
    • 1905, Baroness Emmuska Orczy, chapter 2, in The Hocussing of Cigarette‎:
      No one, however, would have anything to do with him, as Mr. Keeson's orders in those respects were very strict ; he had often threatened any one of his employés with instant dismissal if he found him in company with one of these touts.
  4. Lasting for a short moment; momentary; short-lived.
  5. Very quickly and easily prepared.
    instant coffee; instant noodles; instant mashed potato
  6. Of the current month (abbreviation inst.).
    I refer to your letter of the 16th inst. in regard to traffic disruption.
Derived terms
Translations

Adverb

instant (not comparable)

  1. (poetic) At once; immediately.
    • 1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, I.182:
      He left the room for his relinquished sword, / And Julia instant to the closet flew.

Catalan

Noun

instant m (plural instants)

  1. instant (very short period of time)

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɛ̃s.tɑ̃/
  • instant(file)

Adjective

instant (feminine singular instante, masculine plural instants, feminine plural instantes)

  1. (literary) pressing, insistent

Noun

instant m (plural instants)

  1. instant, minute, moment

Derived terms

Further reading

Latin

Verb

instant

  1. third-person plural present active indicative of instō

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from English instant.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [inˈstant]

Adjective

instant m, f, n (invariable)

  1. instant (very quickly and easily prepared)

Declension

Adjective

instant m, n (feminine singular instantă, masculine plural instanți, feminine and neuter plural instante)

  1. (nonstandard) instant (occurring immediately; immediate; present)

Declension

Synonyms

Adverb

instant

  1. (nonstandard) instantly

Synonyms

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