Langimage
English

instants

|in/stants|

B1

/ˈɪnstənts/

(instant)

immediate

Base FormPluralAdjective
instantinstantsinstantaneous
Etymology
Etymology Information

'instant' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'instans', where 'in-' meant 'upon' and 'stare' meant 'to stand'.

Historical Evolution

'instans' transformed into the Old French word 'instant', and eventually became the modern English word 'instant' through Middle English.

Meaning Changes

Initially, it meant 'pressing or urgent', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a very short period of time'.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Noun 1

plural form of 'instant', referring to very short periods of time.

The instants before the explosion were filled with tension.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Last updated: 2025/01/12 09:59