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alacrity

[ uh-lak-ri-tee ]
/ əˈlæk rɪ ti /
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noun

cheerful readiness, promptness, or willingness: We accepted the invitation with alacrity.
liveliness; briskness.

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RELATED WORDS

readiness, eagerness, willingness, quickness, sprightliness, expedition, gaiety, dispatch, zeal, hilarity, fervor, avidity, enthusiasm, speed, cheerfulness, alertness, promptitude, briskness

Nearby words

  1. alabastron,
  2. alabastrum,
  3. alacant,
  4. alack,
  5. alacrima,
  6. aladdin,
  7. aladdin's cave,
  8. aladdin's lamp,
  9. alae,
  10. alagez

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
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for alacrity

British Dictionary definitions for alacrity

alacrity

/ (əˈlækrɪtɪ) /

noun

liveliness or briskness
Derived Formsalacritous, adjective

Word Origin for alacrity

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 alacrity

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.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper