seldom
Americanadverb
adjective
adverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of seldom
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English seldum, variant of seldan; cognate with German selten, Gothic silda-
Explanation
If you seldom see your grandmother because she lives far away, you might be grateful for the opportunity to visit her over the summer. Use the adjective seldom to refer to things that don't happen very often. A near synonym is rarely. Seldom is a Middle English word, from Old English seldum, a spelling alteration of seldan "strange, rare." In Old English, the spelling seldum came about by analogy with forms such as Old English hwilum "formerly, at one time," from hwil "time, while."
Vocabulary lists containing seldom
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 7–11
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The Crossover
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List 7
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He seldom checks his phone and admits he’s not good at returning texts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026
The trip marks a rare foreign visit for the crown prince, with Paris emphasising that he seldom leaves his home country other than for international summits.
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
Audiences seldom get to experience summer fun at this caliber anymore.
From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026
Our family seldom undertakes a project without physical comedy, and my small errand of mercy was no exception.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
“I don’t know. I couldn’t tell you. I was very seldom there.”
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
