14 results for: irregular

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
ir·reg·u·lar    Audio Help   [i-reg-yuh-ler] Pronunciation Key
–adjective
1.without symmetry, even shape, formal arrangement, etc.: an irregular pattern.
2.not characterized by any fixed principle, method, continuity, or rate: irregular intervals.
3.not conforming to established rules, customs, etiquette, morality, etc.: highly irregular behavior.
4.not according to rule, or to the accepted principle, method, course, order, etc.
5.Grammar. not conforming to the prevalent pattern or patterns of formation, inflection, construction, etc., of a language; having a rule descriptive of a very small number of items: The English verbs “keep” and “see” are irregular in their inflections.
6.Military. (formerly, of troops) not belonging to an organized group of the established forces.
7.flawed, damaged, or failing to meet a specific standard of manufacture: a sale of irregular shirts.
8.Botany.
a.not uniform.
b.(of a flower) having the members of some or all of its floral circles or whorls differing from one another in size or shape, or extent of union.
9.deviating or experiencing deviations from a normally regular or cyclic body function, as bowel habits or menstruation.
10.(of a stock or commodity market) of mixed market activity; showing no clear up or down trend.
–noun
11.a person or thing that is irregular.
12.Commerce. a product or material that does not meet specifications or standards of the manufacturer, as one having imperfections in its pattern.
13.Military. a soldier or combatant not of a regular military force, as a guerrilla or partisan.

[Origin: 1350–1400; < LL irrégulāris (see ir-2, regular); r. ME irreguler < MF]

ir·reg·u·lar·ly, adverb

1. unsymmetrical, uneven. 2. unmethodical, unsystematic; disorderly, capricious, erratic, eccentric, lawless. 4. anomalous, unusual. Irregular, abnormal, exceptional imply a deviation from the regular, the normal, the ordinary, or the usual. Irregular, not according to rule, refers to any deviation, as in form, arrangement, action, and the like; it may imply such deviation as a mere fact, or as regrettable, or even censurable. Abnormal means a deviation from the common rule, often implying that this results in an aberrant or regrettably strange form or nature of a thing: abnormal lack of emotion; A two-headed calf is abnormal. Exceptional means out of the ordinary or unusual; it may refer merely to the rarity of occurrence, or to the superiority of quality: an exceptional case; an exceptional mind. Because of the stigma of abnormal, exceptional is today frequently substituted for it in contexts where such a euphemism may be thought to be appropriate: a school for exceptional children (children who are abnormal in behavior, mental capacity, or the like).
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
irregular

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
ir·reg·u·lar    Audio Help   (ĭ-rěg'yə-lər)  Pronunciation Key 
adj.  
  1. Contrary to rule, accepted order, or general practice: irregular hiring practices.
  2. Not conforming to legality, moral law, or social convention: an irregular marriage.
  3. Not straight, uniform, or symmetrical: irregular facial features.
  4. Of uneven rate, occurrence, or duration: an irregular heartbeat.
  5. Deviating from a type; atypical.
  6. Botany Having differing floral parts, as of a zygomorphic or asymmetrical flower.
  7. Falling below the manufacturer's standard or usual specifications; imperfect.
  8. Grammar Departing from the usual pattern of inflection, derivation, or word formation, as the present forms of the verb be or the plural noun children.
  9. Not belonging to a permanent, organized military force: irregular troops.

n.  
  1. One, such as an item of merchandise, that is irregular.
  2. A soldier, such as a guerrilla, who is not a member of a regular military force.

ir·reg'u·lar·ly adv.
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
irregular 
c.1380, "not in conformity with Church rules," from O.Fr. irreguler (13c.), from M.L. irregularis, from in- "not" + L. regularis (see regular). General sense is from 1483. Military sense of "a soldier not of the regular army" is from 1747.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
irregular

adjective
1. contrary to rule or accepted order or general practice; "irregular hiring practices" [ant: regular
2. not occurring at expected times 
3. (used of the military) not belonging to or engaged in by regular army forces; "irregular troops"; "irregular warfare" [ant: regular
4. (of solids) not having clear dimensions that can be measured; volume must be determined with the principle of liquid displacement [ant: regular
5. falling below the manufacturer's standard; "irregular jeans" 
6. deviating from normal expectations; somewhat odd, strange, or abnormal; "these days large families are atypical"; "atypical clinical findings"; "atypical pneumonia"; "highly irregular behavior" [syn: atypical
7. lacking continuity or regularity; "an irregular worker"; "employed on a temporary basis" 
8. (of a surface or shape); not level or flat or symmetrical; "walking was difficult on the irregular cobblestoned surface" 
9. independent in behavior or thought; "she led a somewhat irregular private life"; "maverick politicians" 

noun
1. a member of an irregular armed force that fights a stronger force by sabotage and harassment [syn: guerrilla
2. merchandise that has imperfections; usually sold at a reduced price without the brand name 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary (Beta Version) - Cite This Source - Share This
irregular1 [iˈregjulə] adjective
not happening etc regularly
Example: His attendance at classes was irregular.
Arabic: مُتَقَطِّع، غَيْر مُنْتَظَم
Chinese (Simplified): 无规律的
Chinese (Traditional): 無規律的
Czech: nepravidelný
Danish: uregelmæssig
Dutch: onregelmatig, ongeregeld
Estonian: korrapäratu
Finnish: epäsäännöllinen
French: irrégulier
German: unregelmäßig
Greek: ακανόνιστος
Hungarian: rendszertelen
Icelandic: óreglulegur
Indonesian: tidak teratur
Italian: irregolare
Japanese: 不規則な
Korean: 불규칙한
Latvian: neregulārs
Lithuanian: nereguliarus
Norwegian: uregelmessig
Polish: nieregularny
Portuguese (Brazil): irregular
Portuguese (Portugal): irregular
Romanian: fără regularitate
Russian: нерегулярный
Slovak: nepravidelný
Slovenian: nereden
Spanish: irregular
Swedish: oregelbunden
Turkish: düzensiz
irregular2 [iˈregjulə] adjective
not formed smoothly or evenly
Example: irregular handwriting
Arabic: غَيْر مُتّسِق، غَيْر نِظامي
Chinese (Simplified): 不整齐的
Chinese (Traditional): 不整齊的
Czech: neuspořádaný
Danish: ujævn
Dutch: onregelmatig
Estonian: korrapäratu
Finnish: epäsäännöllinen
French: irrégulier
German: unregelmäßig
Greek: ανώμαλος
Hungarian: egyenetlen
Icelandic: ójafn
Indonesian: tidak rata
Italian: irregolare
Japanese: 不ぞろいな
Korean: 가지런하지 않은
Latvian: nelīdzens; nevienmērīgs
Lithuanian: nelygus
Norwegian: ujevn, uregelmessig
Polish: nierówny
Portuguese (Brazil): irregular
Portuguese (Portugal): irregular
Russian: неровный
Slovak: nerovnaký; nepravidelný
Slovenian: neenakomeren
Spanish: irregular
Swedish: oregelbunden, ojämn
Turkish: çarpık
irregular3 [iˈregjulə] adjective
contrary to rules
Arabic: مُخالِف للأُصول والقَوانين
Chinese (Simplified): 不合常规的
Chinese (Traditional): 不合常規的
Czech: neregulérní
Danish: ureglementeret
Dutch: onregelmatig
Estonian: reeglite vastane
Finnish: sääntöjen vastainen
French: irrégulier
German: regellos
Greek: αντικανονικός
Hungarian: szabálytalan
Icelandic: sem brÿtur í bága við lög
Indonesian: bertentangan dengan aturan
Italian: irregolare
Japanese: 正規でない
Korean: 변칙적인
Latvian: nedisciplinēts; nekārtīgs
Lithuanian: netaisyklingas
Norwegian: lovstridig, ureglementert
Polish: nieprzepisowy
Portuguese (Brazil): irregular
Portuguese (Portugal): irregular
Romanian: neregulamentar
Russian: неправильный
Slovak: protiprávny
Slovenian: nepravilen
Spanish: inadmisible, irregular
Swedish: oriktig, reglementsvidrig
Turkish: usulsüz, kurallara aykırı
irregular4 [iˈregjulə] adjective
(in grammar) not formed etc in the normal way
Example: irregular verbs
Arabic: غَيْر قِياسي
Chinese (Simplified): 不规则变化的
Chinese (Traditional): 不規則變化的
Czech: nepravidelný
Danish: uregelmæssig
Dutch: onregelmatig
Estonian: reeglipäratu
Finnish: epäsäännöllinen
French: irrégulier
German: unregelmäßig
Greek: ανώμαλος (γραμμ.)
Hungarian: rendhagyó
Icelandic: óreglulegur
Indonesian: tidak beraturan
Italian: irregolare
Japanese: 不規則の
Korean: 불규칙 (변화)의
Latvian: nekārtns
Lithuanian: netaisyklingas
Norwegian: uregelmessig
Polish: nieregularny
Portuguese (Brazil): irregular
Portuguese (Portugal): irregular
Romanian: neregulat
Russian: неправильный
Slovak: nepravidelný
Slovenian: nepravilen
Spanish: irregular
Swedish: oregelbunden
Turkish: kuralsız, düzensiz
See also: irregularity

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary (Beta Version), © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd.
American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

ir·reg·u·lar (-rgy-lr)
adj.

  1. Not straight, uniform, or symmetrical, as facial features.
  2. Of uneven rate, occurrence, or duration, as a heartbeat.
  3. Deviating from a type; atypical.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Main Entry: ir·reg·u·lar
Pronunciation: (')ir-'(r)eg-y&-l&r
Function: adjective
1 : lacking perfect symmetry of form : not straight, smooth, even, or regular <irregular teeth>
2 a : lacking continuity or regularity of occurrence, activity, or function <irregular breathing> b of a physiological function : failing to occur at regular or normal intervals <irregular menstruation> <have your bowels been irregular> c of an individual : failing to defecate at regular or normal intervals <was constipated and very irregular> —ir·reg·u·lar·ly adverb

Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This

Main Entry: ir·reg·u·lar
Pronunciation: ir-'re-gy&-l&r
Function: adjective
: not in accord with laws, rules, procedures, or established custom —ir·reg·u·lar·ly adverb

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Irregular

Ir*reg"u*lar\, a. [Pref. ir- not + regular: cf. F. irr['e]gulier.] Not regular; not conforming to a law, method, or usage recognized as the general rule; not according to common form; not conformable to nature, to the rules of moral rectitude, or to established principles; not normal; unnatural; immethodical; unsymmetrical; erratic; no straight; not uniform; as, an irregular line; an irregular figure; an irregular verse; an irregular physician; an irregular proceeding; irregular motion; irregular conduct, etc. Cf. Regular.

Mazes intricate, Eccentric, intervolved, yet regular Then most when most irregular they seem. --Milton.

Leading the men of Herefordshire to fight Against the irregular and wild Glendower. --Shak.

A flowery meadow through which a clear stream murmured in many irregular meanders. --Jones.

Syn: Immethodical; unsystematic; abnormal; unnatural; anomalous; erratic; devious; crooked; eccentric; unsettled; uneven; variable; changeable; mutable; desultory; disorderly; wild; immoderate; intemperate; inordinate; vicious.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Irregular

Ir*reg"u*lar\, n. One who is not regular; especially, a soldier not in regular service.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.

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