Celerity
Noun
- Swiftness of movement.
Example Sentences
“When the bell went off, the students shot for the door with celerity.”
“Learning how to judge the celerity of a wave is one of the first skills a surfer must learn.”
“After having older cats for so long, I was surprised at the celerity of my new kitten.”
Word Origin
Latin, late 15th century
Why this word?
Swifties, pay attention to this word. “Celerity,” meaning “swiftness of movement,” traces back to the Latin word “celer,” meaning “swift.” “Taylor Celer” doesn’t have the same ring as “Taylor Swift,” but the pop star’s fast rise to fame in her teens and 20s echoes the roots of the word. And while “celer” does bear resemblance to “celebrity,” that word’s Latin root is “celeber,” meaning “frequented or honored.” “Celerity” came into English in the 15th century from the Old French “celerite,” which traces back to the Latin root.
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