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erratic

[ ih-rat-ik ]
/ ɪˈræt ɪk /
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See synonyms for: erratic / erratically on Thesaurus.com

adjective
noun
an erratic or eccentric person.
Geology. an erratic boulder or the like.
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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” (see err) + -icus -ic

OTHER WORDS FROM erratic

er·rat·i·cal·ly, adverber·rat·i·cism, nounnon·er·rat·ic, adjective, nounun·er·rat·ic, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH erratic

erotic, erratic , exotic
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use erratic in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for erratic

erratic
/ (ɪˈrætɪk) /

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

Derived forms of erratic

erratically, adverb

Word Origin for erratic

C14: from Latin errāticus, from errāre to wander, err
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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