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Desultory

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des⋅ul⋅to⋅ry

  [des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee]
Use Desultory in a Sentence
–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.
Origin:
1575–85; < L dēsultōrius pertaining to a dēsultor (a circus rider who jumps from one horse to another), equiv. to dēsul-, var. s. of dēsilīre to jump down (dē- de- + -silīre, comb. form of salīre to leap) + -tōrius -tory 1

Related forms:
des⋅ul⋅to⋅ri⋅ly, adverb
des⋅ul⋅to⋅ri⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. See haphazard.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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des·ul·to·ry   (děs'əl-tôr'ē, -tōr'ē, děz'-)   
adj.  

  1. Having no set plan; haphazard or random. See Synonyms at chance.

  2. Moving or jumping from one thing to another; disconnected: a desultory speech.


[Latin dēsultōrius, leaping, from dēsultor, a leaper, from dēsultus, past participle of dēsilīre, to leap down : dē-, de- + salīre, to jump; see sel- in Indo-European roots.]
des'ul·to'ri·ly adv., des'ul·to'ri·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Main Entry:  desultory1
Part of Speech:  adj
Definition:  wavering, unsteady; erratic
Etymology:  Latin de- + salire 'to leap'
Main Entry:  desultory2
Part of Speech:  adj
Definition:  irregular, unmethodical; inconsistent
Etymology:  Latin de- + salire 'to leap'
Main Entry:  desultory3
Part of Speech:  adj
Definition:  random; occurring haphazardly; digressive
Etymology:  Latin de- + salire 'to leap'
Main Entry:  desultory4
Part of Speech:  adj
Definition:  disappointing in quality or performance
Etymology:  Latin de- + salire 'to leap'
Dictionary.com's 21st Century Lexicon
Copyright © 2003-2009 Dictionary.com, LLC
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Word Origin & History

desultory 
1581, "skipping about," from L. desultorius, adj. form of desultur "hasty, casual, superficial," lit. noun meaning "a rider in the circus who jumped from one horse to another while they are in gallop," from desul-, stem of desilire "jump down," from de- "down" + salire "to jump, leap" (see salient). Sense of "irregular" is c.1740.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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