sporadic
[ spuh-rad-ik ]
/ spəˈræd ɪk /
adjective
(of similar things or occurrences) appearing or happening at irregular intervals in time; occasional: sporadic renewals of enthusiasm.
appearing in scattered or isolated instances, as a disease.
isolated, as a single instance of something; being or occurring apart from others.
occurring singly or widely apart in locality: the sporadic growth of plants.
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Sometimes spo·rad·i·cal .
Origin of sporadic
OTHER WORDS FROM sporadic
spo·rad·i·cal·ly, adverbspo·rad·i·cal·ness, nounspo·ra·dic·i·ty [spawr-uh-dis-i-tee, spohr-], /ˌspɔr əˈdɪs ɪ ti, ˌspoʊr-/, spo·ra·dism, nounDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for sporadic
It is, he says, both a sporadical and an epidemical disease, and when epidemical it is also contagious.
A History of Epidemics in Britain, Volume II (of 2)|Charles Creighton
British Dictionary definitions for sporadic
sporadic
/ (spəˈrædɪk) /
adjective
occurring at irregular points in time; intermittentsporadic firing
scattered; isolateda sporadic disease
Derived forms of sporadic
sporadically, adverbsporadicalness, nounWord Origin for sporadic
C17: from Medieval Latin sporadicus, from Greek sporadikos, from sporas scattered; related to Greek speirein to sow; see spore
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Medical definitions for sporadic
sporadic
[ spə-răd′ĭk, spô- ]
adj.
Occurring at irregular intervals.
Occurring singly; not grouped.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.