Done quickly and without delay, especially in response to a request or at an expected time.
Derives from Latin 'promptus' meaning 'brought forth' or 'ready,' from 'promere' (to bring out). It entered English in the 15th century via Old French, initially meaning 'ready to act' before evolving to emphasize timeliness.
The theatrical term 'prompt' (as in prompting actors with forgotten lines) shares this same root - both involve being ready to respond immediately when needed. Interestingly, 'prompt' originally meant something visible or manifest, which is why we still say someone acts 'promptly' when their response is clearly immediate.
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