intermittent

American  

[in-ter-mit-nt] / ˌɪn tərˈmɪt nt /

adjective

1. stopping or ceasing for a time; alternately ceasing and beginning again.

   an intermittent pain.

   Synonyms:

   sporadic, interrupted

2. alternately functioning and not functioning or alternately functioning properly and improperly.

3. (of streams, lakes, or springs) recurrent; showing water only part of the time.

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intermittent British  

/ ˌɪntəˈmɪtənt /

adjective

1. occurring occasionally or at regular or irregular intervals; periodic

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Other Word Forms

• intermittence noun
• intermittency noun
• intermittently adverb
• nonintermittence noun
• nonintermittent adjective
• nonintermittentness noun
• unintermittent adjective

Etymology

Origin of intermittent

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin intermittent- (stem of intermittēns ), present participle of intermittere “to leave a space between, drop off (for a while)”; intermit, -ent

Example Sentences

On Sunday the weather will remain cloudy with some intermittent light rain possible for everyone.

From BBC

Unlike intermittent wind and solar, they offer emission-free electricity around the clock.

From The Wall Street Journal

I used to be, but now I intermittent fast every day.

From The Wall Street Journal

They are still at the mercy of electricity prices linked to the cost of imported fossil fuels while also shouldering big upfront costs to overhaul grids to handle the intermittent renewable power.

From The Wall Street Journal

This time, the one-party state reports, the outbreak spiraled out of control due to "lack of hygiene, accumulated garbage" and people storing water in tanks to mitigate the intermittent availability of clean tap water.

From Barron's

Related Words

• fitful
• infrequent
• occasional
• periodic
• recurrent
• recurring
• seasonal