erratic
Americanadjective
-
deviating from the usual or proper course in conduct or opinion; eccentric.
erratic behavior.
- Synonyms:
- capricious, unstable, unpredictable
- Antonyms:
- stable, regular, consistent
-
inconsistent, irregular, or unpredictable.
Many factors affect purchasing power, such as inflation and erratic swings in the stock market.
-
having no certain or definite course or pattern; wandering; not fixed.
erratic winds.
-
Geology. noting or pertaining to a boulder or the like carried by glacial ice and deposited some distance from its place of origin.
-
(of a lichen) having no attachment to the surface on which it grows.
noun
-
an erratic or eccentric person.
-
Geology. an erratic boulder or the like.
adjective
-
irregular in performance, behaviour, or attitude; inconsistent and unpredictable
-
having no fixed or regular course; wandering
noun
-
a piece of rock that differs in composition, shape, etc, from the rock surrounding it, having been transported from its place of origin, esp by glacial action
-
an erratic person or thing
Other Word Forms
- erratically adverb
- erraticism noun
- nonerratic adjective
- unerratic adjective
Etymology
Origin of erratic
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Latin errāticus, equivalent to errāt(us) (past participle of errāre “to make a mistake, err” ( err ) + -icus -ic
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.
Or just a win over an erratic Aberdeen?
From BBC
The first signs of dementia are often found in a person’s finances, such as erratic spending and/or unpaid bills that start piling up, according to this paper, “The Financial Consequences of Undiagnosed Memory Disorders.”
From MarketWatch
The four-time major singles champion has the ability to hit through opponents, though she is still prone to being erratic from the baseline.
From BBC
What’s stopping the driver in front of you from making a mistake or doing something erratic?
From Los Angeles Times
Scandals involving breakups, fighting among friends and erratic behavior were among the highlights, but so were touching moments on shows known for having a lot less drama.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
