entry
alacrity
/əˈlæk.rɪ.ti/Cheerful promptness and eager briskness.
From Latin alacer (brisk).
from Latin alacritās
from Latin alacritās
from Middle English alacrite
Word Ancestry
from Latin alacritās
from Latin alacritās
from Middle English alacrite
This is one of those words that sounds like it ought to be wearing Roman sandals. The Romans used alacer for someone brisk, lively, or keen, and then bolted on their favorite abstract noun ending, -itas, to make alacritas: the state of being energetic and eager. The annoying little mystery is the first half, alacer, which etymologists still debate; some have linked it to Germanic words for zeal like Old English ellen, while others think it may hide an older idea of wandering or roaming, a cousin of ambulare. So when you praise someone’s alacrity, you’re not just saying they moved fast — you’re echoing an ancient compliment for the person who showed up ready, awake, and already halfway out the door. It’s the verbal equivalent of hearing boots on stone before dawn.
The Story
This is one of those words that sounds like it ought to be wearing Roman sandals. The Romans used alacer for someone brisk, lively, or keen, and then bolted on their favorite abstract noun ending, -itas, to make alacritas: the state of being energetic and eager. The annoying little mystery is the first half, alacer, which etymologists still debate; some have linked it to Germanic words for zeal like Old English ellen, while others think it may hide an older idea of wandering or roaming, a cousin of ambulare. So when you praise someone’s alacrity, you’re not just saying they moved fast — you’re echoing an ancient compliment for the person who showed up ready, awake, and already halfway out the door. It’s the verbal equivalent of hearing boots on stone before dawn.
Kin & Kindred
From 'alacer'·brisk, lively, eager
Derived Terms
English words from this root
From '-itās'·noun-forming suffix, state or quality of
Derived Terms
English words from this root