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.
“Native chaparral and shrublands evolved under infrequent fire,” the scientists wrote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
He initially limited his indulgence to special occasions, like a birthday, but that was too infrequent.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
Boreal forests are also supposed to burn on an infrequent basis, in order to open up certain pine cones and spread their seeds, or to clear out lower tree branches.
From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2026
Scientists describe the Mediterranean population as a "ghost" population because encounters are so infrequent.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 26, 2026
Straggling, unpaved roads, which became treacherous quagmires with each infrequent rainfall, were the only means of getting from one village to another.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
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.
