adv
momentarily
MOH-muhn-tuh-ruh-lee
adv
1
For a very short period of time; briefly.
"She paused momentarily before answering the question."
"The screen flickered momentarily and then went dark."
2
Very soon; in a moment (chiefly American usage).
"The doctor will be with you momentarily."
How to Use Momentarily
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither "for a brief instant" or, especially in American English, "very soon."
Common mistake
If a British listener hears "the plane will be landing momentarily," they may picture the plane touching down for just a second, whereas the American speaker simply means "very soon."
UK vs US
British speakers usually mean "briefly" by this word, while Americans commonly use it to mean "shortly, in a minute" — this can cause transatlantic confusion.
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Etymology
Formed from "momentary" plus the adverb-forming suffix "-ly."