# jiffy

/ˈdʒɪfi/ (US) · /dʒˈɪfi/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/jiffy
Updated: 2026-10-16

## Definition

a very short moment of time. You say 'in a jiffy' when you mean something will happen very fast.

For teachers: a very brief, indefinite period of time, typically appearing in the phrase 'in a jiffy' to mean very soon or very quickly.

## Examples

- I fix the shelf in a jiffy.
- The barista says your coffee will be ready in a jiffy while she steams the milk.
- Though physicists once defined the jiffy as the time light needs to cross a centimetre, most people simply use it to promise a quick return.

## Usage notes

- Appears almost always in the phrase 'in a jiffy' meaning very soon or very quickly.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.