"instant (moment)" in seven languages
Meaninginstant (moment)
Spanish
instante
/insˈtante/
masc.learned
French
instant
/ɛ̃stɑ̃/
masc.learned
Italian
istante
/isˈtante/
masc.learned
Italian simplifies ns to s, as in istituto.
Portuguese
instante
/ĩsˈtɐ̃tʃi/
masc.learned
Romanian
clipă
/ˈklipə/
fem.other source · clipi 'to blink', of uncertain origin
Literally 'a blink'; the learned instant exists too.
Catalan
instant
/insˈtan/
masc.learned
English
instant
/ˈɪnstənt/
from Latin/French · Old French instant, from Latin INSTANTEM
English → Italianinstant (moment)istanteCognateSame source — inherited, learned or borrowed. You can recognize it.What English and Italian share
The Latin ancestor
INSTANTEM‘standing close, pressing, present’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
INSTĀRE 'to stand on, press' gave the sense 'the present, pressing moment'. Italian drops the n before s (istante), while the others keep it.
English relatives: instance, instantly, instant coffee
Sound laws at work
Learn it
In a sentence
- esPor un instante creí que eras tú.
- frPendant un instant, j'ai cru que c'était toi.
- itPer un istante ho creduto che fossi tu.
- ptPor um instante achei que fosse você.
- roPentru o clipă am crezut că ești tu.
- caPer un instant vaig pensar que eres tu.
- enFor an instant I thought it was you.