fleeting
FLEE-ting
/ˈfliːtɪŋ/
Lasting for a very short time; passing swiftly.
Often used to describe things that are felt or seen briefly, like a smile, a thought, or a glimpse.
The story behind the word. The word traces back to the Old English 'fleotan', which meant to float or flow. Imagine a leaf on a fast-moving stream; it doesn't just sit there, it flows past you. By the 13th century, this idea of 'floating away' evolved into the sense of time or beauty passing quickly out of reach.
Word relationships
- brief: Brief is more neutral; fleeting implies a sense of rapid motion or escape.
- enduring: Enduring implies lasting through time and hardship.
Commonly confused with
- momentary: Fleeting emphasizes the 'passing' motion, while momentary emphasizes the 'duration' of a single moment.
Word family
- fleet (verb): To move or pass quickly.
Collocations
- fleeting moment
- fleeting glimpse
- fleeting visit
- fleeting thought
Idioms & expressions
- a fleeting fancy
Example sentences
- "For a fleeting moment, he felt a sense of pure, unadulterated joy before the reality of the situation returned." Describing a brief moment of happiness.
- "The world is a fleeting show, for man's illusion given." Literature citation regarding the passage of time.
Memory hook
Think of a 'fleet' of fast cars 'fleeting' past you on the highway. Fast and flowing.
When not to use
Avoid using for formal legal arrangements; use 'provisional' or 'interim' instead.
Fun facts
- The word 'fleet' (a group of ships) comes from the same root, as ships float and move across water.
Related words
Explore more words
fleet, transience, in the blink of an eye, swift, rapid, instantaneous
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