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DictionaryjiffyBrief moment
noun

jiffy

JIF-ee/ˈdʒɪfi/

A very short amount of time.

Only a jiffy has passed, with the stopwatch showing a tenth of a second.

A close-up digital stopwatch displaying an elapsed time of just 0.1 seconds, making a very short interval the sole focus.
Etymology

The word is recorded as a colloquial term for a moment or instant. It is said to have meant “lightning” in thieves’ slang, but its origin remains unknown.

In context

Old Time Radio Researchers41:17
the rich lather whisks away the day's dust and grime in a jiffy
Lux Radio Theatre - The Master Race

More examples

  • I'll be back in a jiffy.
  • The microwave warms the soup in a jiffy.
  • Give me a jiffy to tie my shoes.

Forms

jiffy · jiffies

Similar words

moment
A more neutral term that does not necessarily suggest speed.
instant
Often suggests an even shorter interval or a precise point.