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Added 9 October 2026

jiffy

/ˈd͡ʒɪ.fi/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about jiffy at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat).
if I had the chance I'd do it in a flash

Origin

Origin unknown; said to have been thieves’ cant for “lightning”. Also formerly written "giffy", to which a connection with gliff has been proposed. As a kind of envelope, a genericization of Jiffy bag.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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