moment

[ moh-muhnt ]

noun

1. an indefinitely short period of time; instant:

   I'll be with you in a moment.

   Synonyms: twinkling, flash, trice, jiffy, second

2. Usually the moment. the present time or any other particular time:

   He is busy at the moment.

3. a definite period or stage, as in a course of events; juncture:

   at this moment in history.

4. importance or consequence:

   a decision of great moment.

   Synonyms: momentousness, magnitude, weight, significance

5. a particular time or period of success, excellence, fame, etc.:

   His big moment came in the final game.

6. Statistics. the mean or expected value of the product formed by multiplying together a set of one or more variates or variables each to a specified power.
7. Philosophy.
   1. an aspect of a thing.
   2. Obsolete. an essential or constituent factor.
8. Mechanics.
   1. a tendency to produce motion, especially about an axis.
   2. the product of a physical quantity and its directed distance from an axis:

      moment of area; moment of mass.

moment

/ ˈməʊmənt /

noun

1. a short indefinite period of time

   he'll be here in a moment

2. a specific instant or point in time

   at that moment the doorbell rang

3. the moment
   the present point of time

   at the moment it's fine

4. import, significance, or value

   a man of moment

5. physics
   1. a tendency to produce motion, esp rotation about a point or axis
   2. the product of a physical quantity, such as force or mass, and its distance from a fixed reference point See also moment of inertia
6. statistics the mean of a specified power of the deviations of all the values of a variable in its frequency distribution. The power of the deviations indicates the order of the moment and the deviations may be from the origin (giving a moment about the origin ) or from the mean (giving a moment about the mean )

Word History and Origins

Origin of moment¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, Middle French, from Latin mōmentum “motion, cause of motion,” hence, “influence, importance, essential factor, moment of time,” from movimentum (unattested), equivalent to mō- (variant stem of the verb movēre move ) + -mentum -ment

Word History and Origins

Origin of moment¹

C14: from Old French, from Latin mōmentum, from movēre to move

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with moment , also see at this point (moment) ; every minute (moment) counts ; for the moment ; have one's moments ; just a minute (moment) ; live for the moment ; never a dull moment ; not for a moment ; of the moment ; on the spur of the moment ; weak moment .

Synonym Study

See minute ¹. See importance.

Example Sentences

The film is a bewitching spectacle, a classic holiday season event movie that brims with enough earnestness to keep even its fluffiest moments from becoming corny intellectual property slop.

From Salon

Mr Reid, 69, reported on key moments in the peace process during almost three decades on screen.

From BBC

“The automotive industry is going through a period of massive disruption at the moment,” explained Ms Brankin.

From BBC

I’m going to set you up as soon as you get out of here,’” he says, pausing for a moment.

From Los Angeles Times

Some might welcome the film’s nuanced look at the responsibilities of the media, while others may find it difficult to separate its historical focus from the emotionally charged realities of the current moment.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bit
• date
• flash
• hour
• juncture
• minute
• occasion
• point
• stage
• time