sporadic

[ spuh-rad-ik ]

adjective

1. (of similar things or occurrences) appearing or happening at irregular intervals in time; occasional:

   sporadic renewals of enthusiasm.

   Antonyms: continuous

2. appearing in scattered or isolated instances, as a disease.
3. isolated, as a single instance of something; being or occurring apart from others.

   Synonyms: unconnected, separate

4. occurring singly or widely apart in locality:

   the sporadic growth of plants.

sporadic

/ spəˈrædɪk /

adjective

1. occurring at irregular points in time; intermittent

   sporadic firing

2. scattered; isolated

   a sporadic disease

Derived Forms

• spoˈradically, adverb
• spoˈradicalness, noun

Other Words From

• spo·rad·i·cal·ly adverb
• spo·rad·i·cal·ness noun
• spo·ra·dic·i·ty [spawr-, uh, -, dis, -i-tee], spo·ra·dism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sporadic¹

First recorded in 1680–90; from Medieval Latin sporadicus, from Greek sporadikós, equivalent to sporad- (stem of sporás “strewn,” akin to sporá “sowing, seed”) + -ikos adjective suffix; spore, -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of sporadic¹

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

Related Words

• desultory
• fitful
• infrequent
• intermittent
• irregular
• isolated
• occasional
• random
• rare
• scattered
• spotty