Pronto

/ˈprɑːntoʊ/ adverb

Definition

Very quickly or immediately; right away without delay.

Etymology

From Spanish 'pronto,' which comes from Latin 'promptus' meaning 'ready' or 'prepared.' It entered English in the early 1800s and became a popular informal way to say 'immediately.'

Kelly Says

Pronto came from Spanish cowboys and settlers to the American West—English borrowed it because it was snappier than saying 'immediately'! Languages constantly steal words from each other, especially when those words fill a need better than existing ones.

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