moment
noun
- a very short time
- medieval unit of time; equals 1/40 of a medieval hour, i.e. 1/480 of the time interval between sunrise and sunset
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /momən(ʔ)/ / /ˈməʊmənt/ / /ˈmoʊmənt/
name
Etymology: Unexplained English surname.
- A surname.
noun
Etymology: From Middle English moment, from Old French moment, from Latin mōmentum. Doublet of momentum and movement.
- A particular point, or relatively small region.
“...over everything there lay a deposit of heavy white dust, which was only blown off one moment to thicken on another.”
- A particular point, or relatively small region.
“Here, in the transept and choir, where the service was being held, one was conscious every moment of an increasing brightness; colours glowing vividly beneath the circular chandeliers, and the rows of small lights on the choristers' desks flashed and sparkled in front of the boys' faces, deep linen collars, and red neckbands.”
“"You know, we all have our own lives to live. Now and then we get confused, we become weak and vulnerable. We have to look around for help. Sometimes we get lucky and there's someone who loves us to support us, to help us along. We have a right, being human, to those moments of weakness. We have a right to get confused and ask for help. … But when that help is offered and accepted, we don't have a right to remain confused forever, to keep those who help us standing by in a kind of limbo..."”
- A brief, unspecified amount of time.
“Wait a moment, while I lock the front door.”
“Then came a maid with hand-bag and shawls, and after her a tall young lady. She stood for a moment holding her skirt above the grimy steps,[…], and the light of the reflector fell full upon her.”
- Weight or importance.
“In deep designs, in matter of great moment, / No less importing than our general good.”
“However, upon a ſtrict Review, I blotted out ſeveral Paſſages of leſs Moment which were in my firſt Copy, for fear of being cenſured as tedious and trifling, whereof Travellers are often, perhaps not without Juſtice, accuſed.”
- Ellipsis of moment of force.
- A definite period of time, specifically one-tenth of a point, or one-fortieth or one-fiftieth of an hour.
- A petit mal episode; such a spell.
- A fit; a brief tantrum.
- An infinitesimal change in a varying quantity; an increment or decrement.
- A quantitative measure of the shape of a set of points.
“If the points represent mass, then the zeroth moment is the total mass, the first moment divided by the total mass is the center of mass, and the second moment is the rotational inertia.”
- An embarrassing event, supposed to be characteristic of some person, group, or situation.
“woman moment”
“Reddit moment”
- The current center of public attention and awe; the most important celebrity in their prime.
“She’s got a point. She’s an icon, she is a legend, and she is the moment. Now, come on, now. You got to give it up to Kim.”