Instant synonyms, instant pronunciation, instant translation, English dictionary definition of instant. A period of time so short as to be. In addition to the classic “just add hot water” varieties, you can now find instant coffee tucked into tea bags or placed in fold-out pour overs for your fastest-ever cup. Grocery store favorites. Save up to 50% on toner: Based on monthly subscription cost for U.S. And Canada for toner HP Instant Ink 1,500 page plan vs. Transactional cost per page of in-class monochrome A4 laser printers and MFPs.

late 14c., 'moment in time, infinitely short space of time,' from noun use of Old French instant 'near, immediate, at hand; assiduous, urgent' (see instant (adj.)). Related: Instanted; instanting.

instant (adj.)

mid-15c., 'now, present, of the moment, current,' from Old French instant 'near, imminent, immediate, at hand; urgent, assiduous' (14c.) and directly from Medieval Latin instantem (nominative instans), in classical Latin 'present, pressing, urgent,' literally 'standing near,' present participle of instare 'to urge, to stand near, be present (to urge one's case),' from in- 'in' (from PIE root *en 'in') + stare 'to stand,' from PIE root *sta- 'to stand, make or be firm.'

Instant Pot

Sense of 'immediate, done or occurring at once' is from 1590s. Of processed foods, by 1912; instant coffee is from 1915. Televised sports instant replay attested by 1965. Instant messaging attested by 1994.

The word was used 18c.-19c. in dating of correspondence, meaning 'the current month,' often abbreviated inst. Thus 16th inst. means 'sixteenth of the current month' (compare proximo, ultimo).

Dictionary entries near instant

install

installation

installment

Instamatic

instance

instant

instantaneous

instanter

instantiate

Instant Pot Air Fryer

instantly

Instant Street View

instate