desultory

[des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee]

adjective

1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful.

   desultory conversation.

2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random.

   a desultory remark.

desultory

/ ˈdɛsəltərɪ, -trɪ /

adjective

1. passing or jumping from one thing to another, esp in a fitful way; unmethodical; disconnected

2. occurring in a random or incidental way; haphazard

   a desultory thought

Other Word Forms

• desultoriness noun
• desultorily adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of desultory¹

1575–85; < Latin dēsultōrius pertaining to a dēsultor (a circus rider who jumps from one horse to another), equivalent to dēsul-, variant stem of dēsilīre to jump down ( dē- de- + -silīre, combining form of salīre to leap) + -tōrius -tory ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of desultory¹

C16: from Latin dēsultōrius, relating to one who vaults or jumps, hence superficial, from dēsilīre to jump down, from _de- + salīre to jump

Related Words

• aimless 
• chaotic 
• erratic 
• haphazard