spo·rad·ic

[spuh-rad-ik]
adjective
1.
(of similar things or occurrences) appearing or happening at irregular intervals in time; occasional: sporadic renewals of enthusiasm.
2.
appearing in scattered or isolated instances, as a disease.
3.
isolated, as a single instance of something; being or occurring apart from others.
4.
occurring singly or widely apart in locality: the sporadic growth of plants.
Also, spo·rad·i·cal.


Origin:
1680–90; < Medieval Latin sporadicus < Greek sporadikós, equivalent to sporad- (stem of sporás strewn, akin to sporá spore) + -ikos -ic

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


3. separate, unconnected.


1. continuous.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To sporadically
00:10
Sporadically is always a great word to know.
So is gobo. Does it mean:
a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
Collins
World English Dictionary
sporadic (spəˈrædɪk) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
1.  occurring at irregular points in time; intermittent: sporadic firing
2.  scattered; isolated: a sporadic disease
 
[C17: from Medieval Latin sporadicus, from Greek sporadikos, from sporas scattered; related to Greek speirein to sow; see spore]
 
spo'radically
 
adv
 
spo'radicalness
 
n

sporadic (spəˈrædɪk) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
1.  occurring at irregular points in time; intermittent: sporadic firing
2.  scattered; isolated: a sporadic disease
 
[C17: from Medieval Latin sporadicus, from Greek sporadikos, from sporas scattered; related to Greek speirein to sow; see spore]
 
spo'radically
 
adv
 
spo'radicalness
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

sporadic
1650s (implied in sporadical), from M.L. sporadicus "scattered," from Gk. sporadikos "scattered," from sporas (gen. sporados) "scattered," from spora "a sowing" (see spore). Originally a medical term, "occurring in scattered instances;" the meaning "happening at intervals"
is first recorded 1847. Related: Sporadically.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

sporadic spo·rad·ic (spə-rād'ĭk, spô-) or spo·rad·i·cal (-ĭ-kəl)
adj.

  1. Occurring at irregular intervals.

  2. Occurring singly; not grouped.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
In his past life, he was an alcoholic, sporadically homeless and an amateur
  artist.
The choreographers themselves appear sporadically to add brief comments.
If chives are well watered, they bloom sporadically throughout summer.
My deadbeat neighbor, although able, works only sporadically.
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT