prompt

English

Etymology

From Middle French prompt, from Latin promptus (“visible, apparent, evident, at hand, prepated, ready, quick, prompt, inclined, disposed”), past participle of promere (“to take or bring out or forth, produce, bring to light”), from pro (“forth, forward”) + emere (“to take, acquire, buy”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /pɹɒmpt/
• Rhymes: -ɒmpt

Adjective

prompt (comparative more prompt, superlative most prompt)

1. (archaic) Ready, willing (to act).
   • 1623, William Shakespeare, Antony & Cleopatra, III.8:

     Tell him, I am prompt To lay my Crowne at's feete, and there to kneele.

2. Quick, acting without delay.

   He was very prompt at getting a new job.

3. On time, punctual.

   Be prompt for your appointment.

Derived terms

• promptness

Translations

quick

Albanian: atypëratyshëm (sq) Catalan: ràpid (ca) Finnish: nopea, ripeä, sutjakka Greek: γρήγορα (el) Norwegian: prompt (no), prompte (no)

Portuguese: rápido (pt), imediato (pt) Romanian: rapid (ro), prompt (ro) Russian: быстрый (ru) Spanish: rápido (es)

on time

Albanian: Në kohë Finnish: täsmällinen (fi) Norwegian: prompt (no), prompte (no) Portuguese: sem demora (pt)

Romanian: punctual (ro) Russian: пунктуальный (ru), аккуратный (ru) Serbo-Croatian: promptno (sh)

Noun

prompt (plural prompts)

1. Something that indicates when or where a response is appropriate.

   I filled in my name where the prompt appeared on the computer screen but my account wasn't recognized.

2. (writing) A suggestion for inspiration given to an author.

Verb

prompt (third-person singular simple present prompts, present participle prompting, simple past and past participle prompted)

1. To lead someone toward what they should say or do.

   I prompted him to get a new job.

   • 2011 September 2, Phil McNulty, “Bulgaria 0-3 England”, BBC:

     The only sour note on a virtually perfect night for England came from shameful 'monkey' chanting aimed at Ashley Cole and Ashley Young from a section of Bulgaria's fans which later prompted an official complaint from the Football Association to Uefa.

2. (theater and television) - to show or tell an actor/person the words they should be saying, or actions they should be doing.

   If he forgets his words I will prompt him.

Synonyms

• See also Wikisaurus:advise

Translations

to lead someone toward what they should say or do

Albanian: nxis Finnish: johdatella (fi)

French: inciter (fr)

to show or tell an actor/person the words they should be saying, or actions they should be doing

Albanian: sufloj Czech: napovědět (cs)

Finnish: kuiskata (fi) Swedish: sufflera (sv)

External links

• prompt in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• prompt in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• prompt at OneLook Dictionary Search

See also

• promptly
• prompter

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French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin promptus.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /pʁɔ̃/

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

prompt m. (f. prompte, m. plural prompts, f. plural promptes)

1. prompt, swift, quick

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Norwegian

Alternative forms

• prompte

Etymology

From French, from Latin derived from promere (“bring out”)

Adverb

prompt

1. quickly and punctually; promptly

Adjective

prompt (masculine prompt; feminine prompt; neuter prompt; plural prompt; comparative mer prompt; superlative mest prompt)

1. quick and punctual; prompt

References

• “prompt” in The Bokmål Dictionary / The Nynorsk Dictionary – Dokumentasjonsprosjektet.
• “prompt” in The Ordnett Dictionary