jiffy
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
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."
Vocabulary lists containing jiffy
James and the Giant Peach
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Fantastic Mr. Fox
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"Dragon, Dragon"
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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.
Freeman and Brailsford maintained the bag contained legal flu medication, and ultimately a parliamentary committee said it was unable to determine what was inside the jiffy bag.
From BBC • Nov. 20, 2023
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
In a jiffy the two boats were in a terrible tangle.
From "Stuart Little" by E.B. White
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.
