adj · 2 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
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/ɪnstənˈteɪni.əs/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -eɪniəs
CMU ARPABET:IH2 N S T AH0 N T AE1 N IY0 AH0 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: immediate, instant
Antonyms: none provided
2
adjective satellite
Meaning 2
occurring with no delay
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
relief was instantaneous
instant gratification
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: instant(a)
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From New Latin īnstāntāneus, from Latin īnstantem.
Across languages
Translations
32 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
վայրկենական
(vayrkenakan)
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Armenian:
րոպեական
(ropeakan)
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Bulgarian:
моментен
(momenten)
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Bulgarian:
незабавен
(nezabaven)
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Catalan:
instantani
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Esperanto:
tuja
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Finnish:
välitön
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Finnish:
silmänräpäyksellinen
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Finnish:
äkillinen
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Finnish:
hetkellinen
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
French:
instantané
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
German:
augenblicklich
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
German:
unverzüglich
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Hungarian:
pillanatnyi
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Hungarian:
azonnali
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Hungarian:
pontszerű
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Hungarian:
mozzanatos
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Ido:
instantala
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Irish:
láithreach
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Italian:
istantaneo
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Malay:
seketika
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Polish:
momentalny
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Polish:
chwilowy
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Portuguese:
instantâneo
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Romanian:
instantaneu
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Romanian:
momentan
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Russian:
мгнове́нный
(mgnovénnyj)
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Russian:
момента́льный
(momentálʹnyj)
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Spanish:
instantáneo
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Swedish:
omedelbar
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Swedish:
ögonblicklig
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
Tagalog:
iglapin
— occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time
