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.
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Sometimes spo·rad·i·cal.
Origin of sporadic
Synonyms for sporadic
Antonyms for sporadic
1. continuous.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
sporadic
- occurring at irregular points in time; intermittentsporadic firing
- scattered; isolateda sporadic disease
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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
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Word Origin and History for sporadicity
sporadic
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.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
sporadic
(spə-răd′ĭk, spô-)- Occurring at irregular intervals.
- Occurring singly; not grouped.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.