Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

momentary

/ˈmoʊmənˌtɛɹi/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.08 in modern English

Syllables
mo-men-ta-ry
IPA
/ˈmoʊmənˌtɛɹi/
16
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
4
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Lasting for only a moment.

adj

Happening at every moment; perpetual.

Obsolete

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English momentare, from Late Latin mōmentārius (“of brief duration”), from mōmentum (“a short time, an instant”). By surface analysis, moment + -ary.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: momentare, mōmentārius

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈmoʊmənˌtɛɹi/
  • British English: /ˈməʊmənt(ə)ɹi/

Usage

Inflected Forms

more momentary (comparative) most momentary (superlative)

Derived Forms

Phrases

Synonyms

Questions

How do you pronounce momentary?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈmoʊmənˌtɛɹi/.
What does momentary mean?
Lasting for only a moment.
Where does momentary come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce momentary

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “momentary”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈmoʊmənˌtɛɹi/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “momentary”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “momentary” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.