infrequent
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of infrequent
First recorded in 1525–35, infrequent is from the Latin word infrequent- (stem of infrequēns ). See in- 3, frequent
Explanation
Something that's infrequent doesn't happen very often. Your family might take infrequent trips to Disney World, traveling there every two or three years. Things that are infrequent are rare or uncommon. You'd probably be glad to have infrequent run-ins with mean dogs or ugly insects, but disappointed to get infrequent phone calls from your best friend. The adjective infrequent comes from the prefix in, which here means "not," and frequent, or "often," which is rooted in the Latin word frequentem, "crowded or repeated."
Vocabulary lists containing infrequent
Unit 1: Telling Details
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"The Pedestrian" by Ray Bradbury
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The Double Helix
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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.
The 56-year-old First Lady carefully guards her image and is an infrequent presence at the White House, preferring to stay in New York where her son Barron is studying.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
Beyond causing bloating, straining, and infrequent bowel movements, it can also interfere with daily life by increasing stress, reducing productivity, and lowering overall quality of life.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 5, 2026
A senior administration official said that conversations about the spiritual implications, and even the potential supernatural characteristics, of the technology aren’t infrequent among staff working on AI policy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026
The U.S. has paused its attacks and Iranian strikes on commercial ships have gotten more infrequent.
From Slate ● Aug. 17, 2026
We drove out of the suburban neighborhood to a rural area outside Plant City where there were no traffic lights, just infrequent stop signs.
From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
