Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1600-1700
Origin: fleet 'to go quickly' (16-19 centuries), from Old English fleotan 'to float'

fleeting

 adjective
     
fleet‧ing [usually before noun]
lasting for only a short time [= brief]:
a fleeting smile
For one fleeting moment, Paula allowed herself to forget her troubles.
I caught a fleeting glimpse of them as they drove past.
Carol was paying a fleeting visit to Paris.
—fleetingly adverb
WORD FOCUS: short WORD FOCUS: short
speech/piece of writing: brief, concise, condensed, abridged
person: not very tall, little, tiny, petite
time/event: brief, quick, momentary, fleeting, ephemeral, transient, passing, short-lived
legs/fingers: stumpy, stubby
clothes: skimpy

➔ See also short
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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