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.
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
We’re nomadic, restless souls who find peace together.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
But for a generation navigating a nomadic job market and a heavy social calendar of weddings and travel, it helps to reframe that survival fund as your cash reserve or “opportunity fund.”
From MarketWatch ● May 8, 2026
The Tuaregs, a historically nomadic people present across Mali, Niger, Algeria, Libya and Burkina Faso, have for decades taken up arms to protest at being marginalised, particularly around Kidal.
From Barron's ● Apr. 27, 2026
Move around, be nomadic, make each day a new horizon.
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
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.
