desultory

[ des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee ]

adjective

1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful:

   desultory conversation.

2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random:

   a desultory remark.

desultory

/ ˈdɛsəltərɪ; -trɪ /

adjective

1. passing or jumping from one thing to another, esp in a fitful way; unmethodical; disconnected
2. occurring in a random or incidental way; haphazard

   a desultory thought

Derived Forms

• ˈdesultoriness, noun
• ˈdesultorily, adverb

Other Words From

• desul·tori·ly adverb
• desul·tori·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of desultory¹

1575–85; < Latin dēsultōrius pertaining to a dēsultor (a circus rider who jumps from one horse to another), equivalent to dēsul-, variant stem of dēsilīre to jump down ( dē- de- + -silīre, combining form of salīre to leap) + -tōrius -tory ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of desultory¹

C16: from Latin dēsultōrius, relating to one who vaults or jumps, hence superficial, from dēsilīre to jump down, from de- + salīre to jump

Example Sentences

Last night he did an obscure X interview show and seemed desultory and depressed.

From Salon

Biden made a few desultory campaign speeches here and there.

From Salon

Quiet as a library for seven innings Friday night, Dodger Stadium erupted in a thunderous wave of applause in the eighth inning when Freddie Freeman lined a grand slam into the right-field bullpen, turning what looked like a desultory loss into a 4-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox in front of a crowd of 51,562.

From Los Angeles Times

“How to Rob a Bank” isn’t really interested in those bigger questions, instead heading in a more desultory direction.

From New York Times

The lobby bar at the town’s only hotel—usually so desultory on non–parents’ weekend weekends that it closed around 8—was jammed with visitors from surrounding states.

From Slate

Related Words

• aimless
• chaotic
• erratic
• haphazard