momentary
Definitions
Adjective
-
Lasting for a very short time; brief and transient."She gave him a momentary glance before turning away."
-
Done or existing for only an instant."A momentary lapse in judgment can have lasting consequences."
Noun (rare)
-
A very short period of time; an instant."Wait a momentary before we proceed."
Usage in Context
"The power outage was only momentary, lasting less than thirty seconds, but it disrupted the entire conference."
— Tech Review Quarterly, 2023
"Her momentary hesitation betrayed her true feelings, though she quickly masked it with a smile."
— The Atlantic, Literary Section
"Engineers designed the system to withstand momentary voltage spikes without failing."
— IEEE Engineering Journal
Related Words
Synonyms
brief
fleeting
transient
instant
temporary
passing
evanescent
short-lived
Antonyms
permanent
enduring
prolonged
lasting
Etymology
From Middle English momentari, from Old French momentaire, from Late Latin momentarius, from Latin momentum ('a moving force, impulse, moment'). First recorded in English in the mid-15th century. Originally used in mechanical and philosophical contexts to describe brief intervals of motion or change.