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alacrity

[uh-lak-ri-tee]
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noun
  1. cheerful readiness, promptness, or willingness: We accepted the invitation with alacrity.
  2. liveliness; briskness.
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Origin of alacrity

1500–10; < Latin alacritās, equivalent to alacri(s) lively + -tās- -ty2
Related formsa·lac·ri·tous, adjectiveun·a·lac·ri·tous, adjective

Synonyms

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1. eagerness, keenness; fervor, zeal. 2. sprightliness, agility.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

rapidprompthastybriskimmediatehurriedexpeditiousswiftunexpectednimblesuddenabruptquickspeedyshortflyingexpressspankingprecipitateready

Examples from the Web for alacritous

Historical Examples

  • Before him every hat was doffed with alacritous esteem due to his age and worth.

    Household stories from the Land of Hofer

    R. H. Busk

British Dictionary definitions for alacritous

alacrity

noun
  1. liveliness or briskness
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Derived Formsalacritous, adjective

Word Origin

C15: from Latin alacritās, from alacer lively
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for alacritous

alacrity

n.

mid-15c., from Latin alacritatem (nominative alacritas) "liveliness, ardor, eagerness," from alacer (genitive alacris) "cheerful, brisk, lively;" of uncertain origin, perhaps cognate with Gothic aljan "zeal," Old English ellen "courage, zeal, strength," Old High German ellian.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper