sporadic
[spuh-rad-ik]
- (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.
Show More
Sometimes spo·rad·i·cal.
Origin of sporadic
Synonyms
See more synonyms for sporadic on Thesaurus.com3. separate, unconnected.
Antonyms
1. continuous.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for sporadical
Historical Examples
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
sporadic
- occurring at irregular points in time; intermittentsporadic firing
- scattered; isolateda sporadic disease
Show More
Word Origin
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
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for sporadical
sporadic
adj.
1650s (implied in sporadical), from Medieval Latin sporadicus "scattered," from Greek sporadikos "scattered," from sporas (genitive sporados) "scattered," from spora "a sowing" (see spore). Originally a medical term, "occurring in scattered instances;" the meaning "happening at intervals" is first recorded 1847. Related: Sporadically.
Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
sporadic
(spə-răd′ĭk, spô-)- Occurring at irregular intervals.
- Occurring singly; not grouped.
Show More
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.