Standard Lemma guide

festinate

adj · verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈfɛstɪnət/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • /ˈfɛs.tɪˌneɪt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Hurried, hasty.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To become involuntarily quicker, such as when walking or speaking, due to certain disorders.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To hurry, make haste.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To accelerate, quicken, hasten, hurry (something or someone).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

act or move at high speed

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We have to rush!
  • hurry--it's late!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: rush, hasten, hurry, look sharp

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: act, move

History

Etymology

First attested in 1556; Borrowed from Latin festīnātus, perfect passive participle of festīnō (“to hurry”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix).

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Macedonian: вјаса (vjasa) — to hurry
  • Macedonian: ита (ita) — to hurry