Jiffies
/ˈdʒɪfiz/noun
Very short periods of time; moments.
Did you know?Unlike words such as “disaster” or “glamour,” jiffy has no securely established ancient root; its first known sense simply meant an unspecified, extremely brief time.
Etymological Timeline
Late 18th Century
English
jiffy
“A very short, indefinite period of time; the exact origin is unknown.”
1780s
English
jiffy
“Recorded in colloquial use for a moment or instant.”
19th Century
English
in a jiffy
“An idiom meaning very soon or almost immediately.”
20th Century
English
jiffy
“Adopted in technical contexts for an extremely short, conventionally defined interval.”
Modern English
English
jiffies
“Plural form meaning brief moments or very short periods.”