promptness

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈprɑm(p)tnəs/ UK /ˈprɒm(p)tnəs/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the quality of acting or responding quickly and without delay

She thanked them for the promptness of their reply.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the quality of acting or... punctuality quickness swiftness timeliness alacrity readiness dispatch celerity

Opposites

tardinessdelay slowness lateness sluggishness

Word family

Related forms prompt promptly promptitude

Etymology

From prompt (from Latin promptus 'brought forth, ready', past participle of promere 'to bring out', from pro- 'forth' + emere 'to take') + the noun suffix -ness.

promptus Latin emere Latin *h₁em- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# promptness

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈprɑm(p)tnəs/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈprɒm(p)tnəs/

## Meanings
1. the quality of acting or responding quickly and without delay

## Examples
- She thanked them for the promptness of their reply.

## Synonyms
- punctuality
- quickness
- swiftness
- timeliness
- alacrity
- readiness
- dispatch
- celerity

## Antonyms
- tardiness
- delay
- slowness
- lateness
- sluggishness

## Related Forms
- prompt
- promptly
- promptitude

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: promptus
- Root: emere
- Root: *h₁em-

## Etymology
From prompt (from Latin promptus 'brought forth, ready', past participle of promere 'to bring out', from pro- 'forth' + emere 'to take') + the noun suffix -ness.

## AI Etymology
Promptness comes from prompt (from Latin promptus 'brought forth, ready', past participle of promere 'to bring out', from pro- 'forth' + emere 'to take') + the noun suffix -ness. The suffix is part of the word's derivational shape, marking the final grammatical or semantic role while the base supplies the central meaning. As a noun, it denotes "the quality of acting or responding quickly and without delay", keeping the historical idea close to its dictionary sense. Relevant historical forms include Latin promptus, Latin emere, and Proto-Indo-European *h₁em-. Related words include prompt, promptly, promptitude.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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