Langimage
English

momentarily

|mo/men/ta/ri/ly|

B2

🇺🇸

/ˌmoʊmənˈtɛrəli/

🇬🇧

/ˌməʊmənˈtɛrəli/

(momentary)

briefly or soon

Base FormAdverb
momentarymomentarily
Etymology
Etymology Information

'momentarily' originates from the Latin word 'momentarius,' where 'momentum' meant 'moment.'

Historical Evolution

'momentarius' transformed into the Old French word 'momentaire,' and eventually became the modern English word 'momentary,' from which 'momentarily' is derived.

Meaning Changes

Initially, it meant 'for a moment,' but over time it evolved to also mean 'very soon.'

Meanings by Part of Speech

Adverb 1

for a very short time; briefly.

She paused momentarily before continuing her speech.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Adverb 2

at any moment; very soon.

The train will arrive momentarily.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:35