prompt
pronunciation
How to pronounce prompt in British English:
UK [prɒmpt]
How to pronounce prompt in American English:
US [prɑːmpt]
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- Noun:
- a cue given to a performer (usually the beginning of the next line to be spoken)
- (computer science) a symbol that appears on the computer screen to indicate that the computer is ready to receive a command
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- Verb:
- give an incentive for action
- serve as the inciting cause of
- assist (somebody acting or reciting) by suggesting the next words of something forgotten or imperfectly learned
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- Adjective:
- according to schedule or without delay
- characterized by speed and efficiency
- quick in apprehending or reacting
- performed with little or no delay
Word Origin
- prompt
- prompt: [14] Latin prōmere meant ‘bring out, show’ (it was a compound verb formed from the prefix prō- ‘forward, forth’ and emere ‘take’, source also of English assume [15], example, exempt, peremptory [16], redeem, and sample). Its past participle was promptus, and this was used as an adjective in which the notion of ‘shown, manifest’ evolved via ‘ready at hand, available’ to ‘quick, punctual’ – whence English prompt. In Spanish, Latin promptus became pronto, which was borrowed into English in the mid-19th century.=> assume, example, exempt, peremptory, redeem, sample
- prompt (v.)
- mid-14c., prompten, from Latin promptus, past participle of promere "to bring forth," from pro- "forward" (see pro-) + emere "to take" (see exempt (adj.)). Theatrical sense of "to assist a speaker with lines" is first recorded early 15c. Related: Prompted; prompting.
- prompt (n.)
- early 15c., "readiness," from Latin promptus (see prompt (v.)). Meaning "hint, act of prompting" is from 1590s. Computer sense attested by 1977.
- prompt (adj.)
- early 15c., from Old French prompt and directly from Latin promptus "brought forth," hence "visible, apparent, evident," past participle of promere "to take or bring out or forth" (see prompt (v.)).Related: Promptly; promptitude.
Example
- 1. Then his captors prompt him to deliver a message .
- 2. Prompt action will save millions of lives in each year .
- 3. Prompt treatment gives you the best chance of memory improvement .
- 4. America has not simply accepted mr netanyahu 's prompt apology .
- 5. This way the user does not have to interact with the log in prompt .