sporadic

[ spuh-rad-ik ]
/ spəˈræd ɪk /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR sporadic ON THESAURUS.COM

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.
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

OTHER WORDS FROM sporadic

spo·rad·i·cal·ly, adverb spo·rad·i·cal·ness, noun spo·ra·dic·i·ty [spawr-uh-dis-i-tee, spohr-] /ˌspɔr əˈdɪs ɪ ti, ˌspoʊr-/, spo·ra·dism, noun

Words nearby sporadic

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

Words related to sporadic

fitful, infrequent, rare, irregular, intermittent, random, scattered, isolated, occasional, desultory, spotty, few, hit-or-miss, scarce, seldom, spasmodic, uncommon

Example sentences from the Web for sporadic

British Dictionary definitions for sporadic

sporadic
/ (spəˈrædɪk) /

adjective

occurring at irregular points in time; intermittent sporadic firing
scattered; isolated a sporadic disease

Derived forms of sporadic

sporadically, adverb sporadicalness, noun

Word Origin for sporadic

C17: from Medieval Latin sporadicus, from Greek sporadikos, from sporas scattered; related to Greek speirein to sow; see spore

Medical definitions for sporadic

sporadic
[ spə-răd′ĭk, spô- ]

adj.

Occurring at irregular intervals.
Occurring singly; not grouped.