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speedy

[ spee-dee ]
/ ˈspi di /
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See synonyms for: speedy / speedier / speedily / speediness on Thesaurus.com

adjective, speed·i·er, speed·i·est.
characterized by speed; rapid; swift; fast.
coming, given, or arrived at quickly or soon; prompt; not delayed: a speedy recovery.
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Origin of speedy

First recorded in 1325–75, speedy is from the Middle English word spedy.See speed, -y1

OTHER WORDS FROM speedy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT SPEEDY

What does speedy mean?

Speedy is commonly used to mean prompt or with minimal delay. It’s often used in the phrase speedy recovery, meaning a prompt recovery from an illness or injury.

Speedy also means very fast. In this sense, it’s often applied as a nickname for athletes who are very fast and quick.

Example: I’d like to thank the customer service team for their speedy resolution to this issue.

Where does speedy come from?

The first records of speedy come from the 1300s. Speedy is the adjective form of the noun speed.

When we want to describe someone or something as having great speed, we typically just use the word fast. When we use Speedy as a nickname for an athlete (or a cartoon mouse), it usually implies speed but also general quickness and agility.

Perhaps most often, though, speedy is used to mean “prompt.” We wish people a speedy recovery because we want them to promptly feel all better. A speedy resolution to a problem is one that’s implemented promptly and without unnecessary delays. In the TV show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, the delivery man, Mr. McFeeley, was always making a “speedy delivery,” popularizing the term for deliveries that arrive promptly.

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What are some other forms related to speedy?

  • speed (noun)
  • speedier (comparative adjective)
  • speediest (superlative adjective)
  • speedily (adverb)
  • speediness (noun)
  • overspeedily (adverb)
  • overspeediness (noun)

What are some synonyms for speedy?

 

What are some words that share a root or word element with speedy? 

What are some words that often get used in discussing speedy?

How is speedy used in real life?

Speedy is most commonly used in the phrases speedy recovery and speedy delivery. It’s also a somewhat common nickname for athletes.

 

 

Try using speedy!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym for speedy?

A. fast
B. quick
C. sluggish
D. swift

How to use speedy in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for speedy

speedy
/ (ˈspiːdÉȘ) /

adjective speedier or speediest
characterized by speed of motion
done or decided without delay; quick

Derived forms of speedy

speedily, adverbspeediness, noun
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
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