fugacious

[fyoo-gey-shuh s]

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adjective

fleeting; transitory: a sensational story with but a fugacious claim on the public's attention.

Botany. falling or fading early.

Origin of fugacious

1625–35; < Latin fugāci- (stem of fugāx apt to flee, fleet, derivative of fugere to flee + -ous

Related formsfu·ga·cious·ly, adverbfu·ga·cious·ness, fu·gac·i·ty

[fyoo-gas-i-tee] /fyuˈgæs ɪ ti/, noun

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

Related Words for fugacious

brief, ephemeral, evanescent, fleeting, impermanent, momentary, passing, short-lived, temporal, temporary, transient

Examples from the Web for fugacious

Historical Examples of fugacious

The veil is often wanting, but when present is fibrous and fugacious.
The Mushroom, Edible and Otherwise
M. E. Hard
Petals 5, fugacious (lasting but a day), much larger than the calyx.
The Manual of the Botany of the Northern United States
Asa Gray
Petals 5, rarely 6, inserted on the calyx with the 7–20 stamens, fugacious.
The Manual of the Botany of the Northern United States
Asa Gray
Honours and dignities are tranſient, beauty and riches frail and fugacious, to a proverb.
Essays on Various Subjects
Hannah More
Honours and dignities are transient, beauty and riches frail and fugacious, to a proverb.
Essays on Various Subjects
Hannah More

British Dictionary definitions for fugacious

fugacious

adjective

passing quickly away; transitory; fleeting

botany lasting for only a short timefugacious petals

Derived Formsfugaciously, adverbfugaciousness, noun

Word Origin for fugacious

C17: from Latin fugax inclined to flee, swift, from fugere to flee; see fugitive

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 fugacious

adj.

"fleeing, likely to flee," 1630s, from Latin fugaci-, stem of fugax "apt to flee, timid," figuratively "transitory, fleeting," from fugere "to flee" (see fugitive) + -ous. Related: Fugaciously; fugaciousness.