momentarily
UK: ˈməʊməntrəli | US: ˈmoʊmənˌterəli
adv. for a very short time; briefly
adv. very soon; in a moment
The word "momentarily" derives from the Latin momentum, meaning "movement" or "brief time," which itself comes from movere (to move). The suffix -ary forms adjectives (e.g., "momentary"), and -ly converts them into adverbs. The word originally emphasized brevity ("for a moment") but later expanded in American English to include the sense of "imminently" (e.g., "I’ll be there momentarily"). This dual meaning reflects a shift from duration to immediacy in modern usage.
The power outage affected the system momentarily before backup generators kicked in.
"The plane will land momentarily," the pilot announced over the intercom.
She paused momentarily to collect her thoughts during the speech.
The sun disappeared momentarily behind the clouds.
The train will depart momentarily—please board quickly.