momentary

[ moh-muhn-ter-ee ]

adjective

1. lasting but a moment; very brief; fleeting:

   a momentary glimpse.

2. that might occur at any moment; ever impending:

   to live in fear of momentary annihilation.

3. effective or recurring at every moment; constant.

momentary

/ ˈməʊməntərɪ; -trɪ /

adjective

1. lasting for only a moment; temporary

Derived Forms

• ˈmomentariness, noun

Other Words From

• momen·tari·ness noun
• inter·momen·tary adjective
• non·momen·tari·ness noun
• non·momen·tary adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of momentary¹

1425–75; late Middle English momentare < Latin mōmentārius. See moment, -ary

Example Sentences

"For many children, effective strategies involve taking some type of break from the momentary frustration, allowing the opportunity to calm down and regain control," Clark said.

From Science Daily

That was just momentary because, after a couple of months, people really loved it.

From Salon

Taylor told an investigation by the teaching regulator that he hoped the victims could “move on from the experience in a positive way” and apologised for his “momentary lapse of judgement”.

From BBC

We can’t be entirely distracted from the stakes in the upcoming election, but “Conclave,” out Nov. 1, will make for a momentary, enjoyable respite.

From Los Angeles Times

Terminal operators say they think the source of the outages is at the utility, and have wondered whether the DWP has even recorded the momentary outages that cause costly delays on the docks.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• short-lived
• temporary
• transitory