nomadic
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nomadic
From the Greek word nomadikós, dating back to 1810–20. See nomad, -ic
Explanation
A nomad is someone who lives by traveling from place to place. Nomadic thus means anything that involves moving around a lot. Nomadic hunter-gatherer tribes follow the animals they hunt, carrying tents with them. You don't have to be a nomad to live a nomadic lifestyle. People who work for the state department travel from foreign country to foreign country in four-year postings––they might call this nomadic. If you change schools a lot because of your parents' moves, you could say you've had a nomadic education.
Vocabulary lists containing nomadic
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
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100 Great Words from "Fahrenheit 451" -- Part I Vocabulary
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Mesopotamia - Introductory
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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.
It has felt like being a "nomadic tribe moving from one place to another", Uttam added, as they stayed with friends at first then relocated to a local hotel.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
The nomadic life hasn’t always been comfortable for Washburn either.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
“Being nomadic is in my nature, so my inclination is to say yes to new adventures,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
Once they’re capable of independent survival, Voisard said they become nomadic and explore for the first five years of their life.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 28, 2026
I was a little nomadic kid who played in trees and hyena holes.
From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola
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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.
