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irregular

 - 6 dictionary results

ir⋅reg⋅u⋅lar

  [i-reg-yuh-ler]
Use irregular in a Sentence
–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 irrēgulāris (see ir- 2 , regular ); r. ME irreguler < MF

Related forms:
ir⋅reg⋅u⋅lar⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
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
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To irregular
ir·reg·u·lar   (ĭ-rěg'yə-lər)   
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.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

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
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Legal Dictionary

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.
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Medical Dictionary

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 <irregularbreathing> b of a physiological function : failing to occur at regular or normal intervals <irregular menstruation> irregular> c of an individual : failing to defecate at regular or normal intervals irregular> —ir·reg·u·lar·ly adverb
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

irregular ir·reg·u·lar (ĭ-rěg'yə-lər)
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.
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