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.

Nearby words

spoonworm, spoony, spoor, spor-, sporades, sporadic, sporangiophore, sporangiospore, sporangium, spore, spore case

Sometimes spo·rad·i·cal.

Origin of sporadic

1680–90; < Medieval Latin sporadicus < Greek sporadikós, equivalent to sporad- (stem of sporás strewn, akin to sporá spore) + -ikos -ic

SYNONYMS FOR sporadic

3 separate, unconnected.

ANTONYMS FOR sporadic

1 continuous.

Related forms

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, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for sporadicity

sporadic

/ (spəˈrædɪk) /

adjective

occurring at irregular points in time; intermittentsporadic firing

scattered; isolateda sporadic disease

Derived Forms

sporadically, adverbsporadicalness, noun

Word 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 Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for sporadicity

sporadic

[ spə-răd′ĭk, spô- ]

adj.

Occurring at irregular intervals.

Occurring singly; not grouped.