A phrase from historical newspaper personal ads, explained with real examples from the archive.
Short for instant: of the current month. The 9th inst. meant the 9th of this month.
| Type | Historical phrase |
|---|---|
| Earliest example in the archive | February 20, 1862, New York Herald |
| Most common | 1800s to the early 1900s |
Inst. was ordinary business and newspaper shorthand, paired with ult. (ultimo, last month) and prox. (proximo, next month). In personals it pinned a missed connection to a date without printing the month, as in the 1862 notice to Mrs. D. E. about the cars to Baltimore on Sunday night, the 9th inst.
Sources: Merriam-Webster, instant (adjective).
IF MRS. D. E. HAS RETURNED TO NEW YORK, SHE will much oblige her friend (who had the pleasure of paying some attention to her in the cars to Baltimore on Sunday night,…
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