alacrity English · revision 1629

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /əˈlakrᵻti/, /əˈlæk.rə.ti/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|alacritās|t=liveliness, eagerness]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from [[la|alacer|t=lively, brisk, eager]],^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) a word of uncertain origin.^(Etymonline) It may be related to Gothic ''aljan'' “zeal” and Old English ''ellen'' “courage, zeal”.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Liveliness or briskness (mid-15th century).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word has always combined two ideas, eagerness and speed.^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary) In current use it most often describes the cheerful readiness with which someone accepts or does something.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1460 – first recorded.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * about 1510 – briskness, cheerful readiness.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Cheerful readiness or [[eagerness]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Speed or briskness.^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[alacritous]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[allegretto]]

+ * [[allegro]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House gives ''eagerness'', ''keenness'', ''fervor'' and ''zeal'' as synonyms, and ''sprightliness'' and ''agility'' for the sense of briskness.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}