instant

[ in-stuhnt ]
See synonyms for instant on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. an infinitesimal or very short space of time; a moment: They arrived not an instant too soon.

  2. the point of time now present or present with reference to some action or event.

  1. a particular moment: at the instant of contact.

  2. a food or beverage, especially coffee, specially processed for quick preparation.

  3. Older Use. the present or current month.

adjective
  1. succeeding without any interval of time; prompt; immediate: instant relief from a headache.

  2. pressing or urgent: instant need.

  1. noting a food or beverage requiring a minimal amount of time and effort to prepare, as by heating or the addition of milk or water, before being served or used: instant coffee; instant pudding.

  2. occurring, done, or prepared with a minimal amount of time and effort; produced rapidly and with little preparation: an instant book; instant answers; instant history.

  3. designed to act or produce results quickly or immediately: an instant lottery.

  4. Older Use. of the present month: your letter of the 12th instant.Abbreviation: inst.: Compare proximo, ultimo.

  5. present; current: the instant case before the court.

adverb

Origin of instant

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin instant- (stem of instāns ), present participle of instāre “to be present, urgent,” equivalent to in- in-2 + -stā- stand + -nt- present participle suffix

synonym study For instant

1. See minute1.

Other words for instant

Words Nearby instant

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use instant in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for instant

instant

/ (ˈɪnstənt) /


noun
  1. a very brief time; moment

  2. a particular moment or point in time: at the same instant

  1. on the instant immediately; without delay

adjective
  1. immediate; instantaneous

  2. (esp of foods) prepared or designed for preparation with very little time and effort: instant coffee

  1. urgent or imperative

  2. (postpositive) (when abbreviated in formal correspondence)

    • of the present month: a letter of the 7th instant Abbreviation: inst Compare proximo, ultimo

    • currently under consideration

adverb
  1. a poetic word for instantly

Origin of instant

1
C15: from Latin instāns, from instāre to be present, press closely, from in- ² + stāre to stand

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