occasional

[ uh-key-zhuh-nl ]
See synonyms for occasional on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. occurring or appearing at irregular or infrequent intervals; occurring now and then: an occasional headache.

  2. intended for supplementary use when needed: an occasional chair.

  1. pertaining to, arising out of, or intended for the occasion: occasional verses.

  2. acting or serving for the occasion or only on particular occasions.

  3. serving as the occasion or incidental cause.

Origin of occasional

1
First recorded in 1560–70; occasion + -al1

Other words from occasional

  • oc·ca·sion·al·ness, oc·ca·sion·al·i·ty, noun
  • un·oc·ca·sion·al, adjective
  • un·oc·ca·sion·al·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for occasional

occasional

/ (əˈkeɪʒənəl) /


adjective
  1. taking place from time to time; not frequent or regular

  2. of, for, or happening on special occasions

  1. serving as an occasion (for something)

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