seldom
Americanadverb
adjective
adverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of seldom
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English seldum, variant of seldan; cognate with German selten, Gothic silda-
Explanation
If you seldom see your grandmother because she lives far away, you might be grateful for the opportunity to visit her over the summer. Use the adjective seldom to refer to things that don't happen very often. A near synonym is rarely. Seldom is a Middle English word, from Old English seldum, a spelling alteration of seldan "strange, rare." In Old English, the spelling seldum came about by analogy with forms such as Old English hwilum "formerly, at one time," from hwil "time, while."
Vocabulary lists containing seldom
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 7–11
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The Crossover
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List 7
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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.
Manas said NHS England had "never actively managed" waiting lists, and "seldom" tried to make it fairer.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
"Our work is a prime example of how evolution seldom invents things from scratch," says Daniel Kronauer, head of the Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior at Rockefeller.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 1, 2026
And though business seldom matched pre-pandemic levels, Fanara kept up his community philanthropy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
“Properties of this caliber, with such a rich legacy and expansive acreage, seldom become available.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
She seldom started her day with a puja to the household shrine.
From "Homeless Bird" by Gloria Whelan
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.
