episodic

American  

[ep-uh-sod-ik, -zod-] / ˌɛp əˈsɒd ɪk, -ˈzɒd- /

Also episodical

adjective

1. pertaining to or of the nature of an episode.

2. divided into separate or tenuously related parts or sections; loosely connected.

   an episodic novel.

   Synonyms:

   digressive, wandering, rambling

3. occurring sporadically or incidentally.

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episodic British  

/ ˌɛpɪˈsɒdɪk /

adjective

1. resembling or relating to an episode

2. divided into or composed of episodes

3. irregular, occasional, or sporadic

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Usage

What does episodic mean? Episodic describes things that are divided into episodes—parts or installments in a series. The word episode is perhaps most popularly used to refer to one of the parts that a TV series is divided into, as in I’ve seen every single episode of The Office. A TV show is especially described as episodic when each episode is its own standalone story, as in Showrunners are planning to make the reboot more episodic, with each episode being its own adventure. (Of course, many shows have episodes that contain a standalone story that also ties into the bigger narrative.)A more general sense of the word episode refers to a specific incident in a continuous series of events or an occurrence of a recurring event. In this way, episodic can be used to describe things that occur occasionally or at irregular intervals. Similar terms are occasional, irregular, and sporadic. Example: Epilepsy is sometimes described as an episodic disability because seizures happen at irregular intervals.

Other Word Forms

• episodically adverb
• nonepisodic adjective
• nonepisodical adjective
• nonepisodically adverb

Etymology

Origin of episodic

First recorded in 1705–15; episode + -ic

Explanation

If you have an episodic interest in professional sports, you pay attention to sports from time to time, but you're not a regular fan. The adjective episodic is often used to mean "occasional" or "every once in a while." If you have a bad cough that comes and goes, you could call it an "episodic condition." When used in this way, episodic suggests that the cough appears at irregular, or random, intervals. Episodic can also describe the way certain stories are told. An "episodic narrative" is a story that is told through a series of episodes, or segments. A soap opera on television, for instance, is an episodic program.

Example Sentences

Its episodic encores are currently airing on Fox as a lead-in to “The Faithful,” whose showrunner, René Echevarria, is an old hand at both network and cable, and whose work includes “The 4400.”

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

The problem, apart from perennial budget pressures, is that interest in election mechanics — a technical and arcane subject if ever there was one — is episodic and fleeting.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026

Brands like P&G, Crocs and Maybelline are producing their own microdramas, or short episodic vertical-video shows.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

These issues, analysts say, are not episodic irritants but symbols of imbalance.

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2026

My narrative, while willfully episodic in character—no comprehensive coverage of all events is claimed—follows a chronological line, with one significant exception.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

• anecdotal
• disjointed