noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of alacrity
First recorded in 1500–10; from Latin alacritāt-, stem of alacritās “enthusiasm, zeal,” equivalent to alacer + -tās- noun suffix ( see -ty 2)
Explanation
Someone with alacrity shows cheerful willingness and eager behavior, like a kid whose mother has told him he can buy anything in a candy store. While the noun alacrity normally refers to someone's peppy behavior, it can also describe a certain mood or tempo of a musical composition, indicating how the music should be played. Alacrity comes from the Latin alacritas, and the Italian musical term allegro is a near relation.
Vocabulary lists containing alacrity
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In Trials of Osiris, the endgame player-vs-player activity, the Alacrity perk will boost reload, stability, aim assist, and even range if all your teammates are dead and you’re trying to save the round alone.
From The Verge • Feb. 3, 2022
Alacrity, however, doesn't mean this is music performed without care or considerable attention to detail.
From The Guardian • Jun. 15, 2012
Lacking Alacrity The most significant shortcoming I found in the Toshiba is not image quality or wireless performance but its sluggish nature.
From BusinessWeek • Aug. 18, 2010
Alacrity is not to be found on this machine.
From BusinessWeek • Aug. 18, 2010
All I mean to say is, that the Alacrity is a vessel of singular compactness and magical arrangement of room.
From The Pilot by Cooper, James Fenimore
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
