instantaneous

[ in-stuhn-tey-nee-uhs ]
See synonyms for: instantaneousinstantaneously on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. occurring, done, or completed in an instant: an instantaneous response.

  2. existing at or pertaining to a particular instant: the instantaneous position of the rocket.

Origin of instantaneous

1
From the Medieval Latin word instantāneus, dating back to 1645–55. See instant, -an, -eous

Other words for instantaneous

Other words from instantaneous

  • in·stan·ta·ne·i·ty [in-stan-tn-ee-i-tee, in-stuhn-tuh-nee-], /ɪnˌstæn tnˈi ɪ ti, ˌɪn stən təˈni-/, in·stan·ta·ne·ous·ness, noun
  • in·stan·ta·ne·ous·ly, adverb

Words Nearby instantaneous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use instantaneous in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for instantaneous

instantaneous

/ (ˌɪnstənˈteɪnɪəs) /


adjective
  1. occurring with almost no delay; immediate

  2. happening or completed within a moment: instantaneous death

  1. maths

    • occurring at or associated with a particular instant

    • equal to the limit of the average value of a given variable as the time interval over which the variable is considered approaches zero: instantaneous velocity

Derived forms of instantaneous

  • instantaneously, adverb
  • instantaneousness or instantaneity (ɪnˌstæntəˈniːɪtɪ), 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