Prompting

ˈprɒmptɪŋ

verbBeginner🔥Very CommonGeneral
2 meanings2 idioms/phrases3 questions

Definitions

2 meanings
1

To encourage or stimulate an action or response; to give rise to.

ˈprɒmptɪŋ

verbneutralBeginner
General

To cause or encourage an action or feeling.

The teacher's question prompted an interesting discussion.

💡 Simply: It's like giving someone a little nudge or a helpful reminder to do something. Imagine you're helping a friend remember their grocery list – that's prompting them!

👶 For kids: To help someone remember or do something.

More Examples

2

A sudden noise prompted the dog to bark.

3

The email prompted a quick response from the customer.

How It's Used

Business

"The marketing campaign is prompting increased sales."

Psychology

"Therapists use prompts to help patients recall memories."

2

The act of giving a cue or reminder to someone, especially in a performance or to aid memory.

ˈprɒmptɪŋ

nounneutralmedium
Arts

An act of reminding or suggesting something to someone.

The stage manager gave the actor a prompting when he forgot his lines.

💡 Simply: It's like giving someone a hint or a clue. If you forget the answer to a question, your friend might give you a prompting.

👶 For kids: A little clue to help you remember something or to do something.

More Examples

2

The system uses voice prompting to guide the user.

3

The prompting helped the student to complete the task.

How It's Used

Theater

"The actor needed a prompting from the stage manager."

Education

"The teacher uses prompting to aid in student learning."

Tip:Think of a 'prompt' as a cue, like a script cue to remember your lines.

Idioms & expressions

on the prompt side

Quick and efficient.

"The service was on the prompt side, and we were impressed."

prompt payment

Payment made immediately or within the agreed-upon time.

"We offer a discount for prompt payment."

From Middle English prompten, from Old French prompter ('to bring forth, incite'), from Latin promptus ('ready, visible'), from promere ('to bring forth').

The word has been used since the late 14th century, initially in reference to encouraging or assisting in speech or writing.

Memory tip

Think of the word 'impromptu' and how something unplanned can spur an action. Prompting is the opposite, causing a pre-planned or anticipated action.

Word Origin

LanguageLatin
Original meaning

"ready, visible, in readiness"

prompt responseprompt paymentprompt actionprompt delivery

Common misspellings

promtingpromptingg

Usage

40%Spoken
60%Written