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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Crossover
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
List 7
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
World affairs seldom provide easy answers, however, and developments elsewhere have threatened to undermine his efforts to bring down fuel prices before they provide any political benefit.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
Real estate has always gone in cycles, boom followed by bust, and there is no particular reason to think “this time is different,” because in finance it seldom is.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026
Above all, alternative funds hold assets that seldom trade, so you in turn may have to hold them for years—and might not be able to get your money out when you need it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
He seldom checks his phone and admits he’s not good at returning texts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026
The rest of us seldom leave the valley.
From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
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.
