fleetingly — for a very short time; briefly and quickly
Part of speech: ADVERB
Definition: for a very short time; briefly and quickly
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈfliːtɪŋli/
Example Sentences
- The celebrity appeared fleetingly at the coffee shop, causing chaos among fans.
- His motivation to exercise appeared fleetingly every New Year.
- The opportunity for promotion appeared fleetingly in the competitive market.
fleetingly
ADVERB[/ˈfliːtɪŋli/]
for a very short time; briefly and quickly
a young child reaches out with cupped hands toward a beautiful monarch butterfly that hovers near a flower. The butterfly lands gently on the child's fingertip for just an instant. Almost immediately, the butterfly lifts off and begins flying away toward the trees. The child watches with wonder as the orange wings disappear into the distance. A parent nearby smiles at the brief magical encounter that happened so quickly. something beautiful appearing for a very short time before vanishing
Meeting greetingly, parting fleetingly.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Derived from Old English 'fleot' (to float, drift), the word evolved to describe rapid movement like a ship passing swiftly over water, later extending to the sense of time passing quickly or lasting only a brief moment.
Breakdown
fleet (swift, rapid) + -ing (present participle/adjective-forming suffix) + -ly (adverbial suffix forming manner adverbs), creating an adverb meaning 'in a swift or brief manner'.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The celebrity appeared fleetingly at the coffee shop, causing chaos among fans.”
“His motivation to exercise appeared fleetingly every New Year.”
“The opportunity for promotion appeared fleetingly in the competitive market.”
“She fleetingly considered quitting her job to become a professional gamer.”
📚Related Words
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