# instant

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɪnstənt/ · frequency rank #4,024

## Definitions
1. A very short period of time; a moment.
2. A single, usually precise, point in time.
3. A beverage or food which has been pre-processed to reduce preparation time, especially instant coffee.
4. Ellipsis of instant camera.

## Etymology
From Middle English instant (“infinitely short period of time”), from Old French instant (“assiduous, at hand”, adjective), from Latin īnstāns, īnstantis (“present, pressing, urgent”, literally “standing near”), present active participle of īnstō (“to stand upon, be nearby”), from in- (“after”) + stō (“to stand”). Compare Old English instede (“immediately, on the spot, at once”). More at in, stand.

## Easily confused with
- **intent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/instant-vs-intent)
- **intact** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/instant-vs-intact)
- **instinct** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/instant-vs-instinct)
- **instantly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/instant-vs-instantly)
- **insane** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/insane-vs-instant)
- **infant** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/infant-vs-instant)
- **install** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/install-vs-instant)
- **instance** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/instance-vs-instant)

## Common misspellings (11)
`innstant`, `insatnt`, `insstant`, `instannt`, `instantt`, `instatn`, `instnat`, `insttant`, `intsant`, `isntant`, `nistant`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/instant