jiffy

American  

[jif-ee] / ˈdʒɪf i /

Also jiff

noun

Informal.

plural

jiffies

1. a very short time; moment.

   to get dressed in a jiffy.

   Synonyms:

   trice, second, flash, instant

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jiffy British  

/ ˈdʒɪfɪ, dʒɪf /

noun

1. informal a very short time

   wait a jiffy

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jiffy Idioms  

1. see under in a flash.

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Etymology

Origin of jiffy

First recorded in 1770–80; origin uncertain

Explanation

A jiffy is a brief amount of time — an instant, or a split second. When you're really tired at the end of a long day, you probably fall asleep in a jiffy after lying in bed. Jiffy is an informal word that can substitute for "quickly" or "in the blink of an eye." A speeding taxi will get you to your destination in a jiffy, and a really well-trained dog will come in a jiffy when you call her name. Not much is known about the origin of jiffy, other than the fact that it was once "thieves' slang" for "lightning."

Example Sentences

The Telegraph's Alastair Sooke compared the exhibition to music, remarking that the paintings would "be bangers, enticing you onto the dancefloor in a jiffy".

From BBC • Sep. 11, 2024

They cool in a jiffy and are ready to serve almost as fast as you make them.

From Salon • Nov. 2, 2023

In another jiffy, he and his master, sky high, are toasting one another and the success of their venture.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2023

However, a quantum computer would be able to factor the huge number much faster than an ordinary computer, enabling Eve to unscramble the message in a jiffy, too.

From Science Magazine • May 5, 2022

Their troubles were all over in a jiffy.

From "James and the Giant Peach" by Roald Dahl