nomadic
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nomadic
From the Greek word nomadikós, dating back to 1810–20. See nomad, -ic
Explanation
A nomad is someone who lives by traveling from place to place. Nomadic thus means anything that involves moving around a lot. Nomadic hunter-gatherer tribes follow the animals they hunt, carrying tents with them. You don't have to be a nomad to live a nomadic lifestyle. People who work for the state department travel from foreign country to foreign country in four-year postings––they might call this nomadic. If you change schools a lot because of your parents' moves, you could say you've had a nomadic education.
Vocabulary lists containing nomadic
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
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100 Great Words from "Fahrenheit 451" -- Part I Vocabulary
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Mesopotamia - Introductory
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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.
Nomadic has had to pay some of them up front.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026
“It’s a home — it’s furnished, you have a kitchen, you’re going grocery shopping, you’re doing what the locals do,” said Matt Kepnes, who runs the travel site Nomadic Matt.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 19, 2026
Belfast watchmaker Nomadic makes 22% of its sales in the US.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2025
The park received crucial support from the Mellon Foundation’s Monuments Project and is being presented by the nonprofit arts organization Los Angeles Nomadic Division, which specializes in site-specific public art and programs.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2024
Nomadic hunter-gatherers are limited to technology that can be carried.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
