sporadic
sporadic
Definition
spo·radic (spə rad′ik)
adjective
- happening from time to time; not constant or regular; occasional
- widely separated from others, scattered, or isolated in occurrence; appearing singly, apart, or in isolated instances
Etymology: ML sporadicus < Gr sporadikos < sporas, scattered: for IE base see spore
spo·rad′i·cally adverb
sporadic
Synonyms
sporadic
Usage Examples
Preposition: in
- nature: The conflict always has been cyclical and sporadic in nature.
Preposition: at
- moment: I felt we played some nice stuff in patches but it is just sporadic at the moment.
Modifies a noun
- cjd: The cases of what is called " sporadic CJD " have doubled in recent years.
- lymphangioleiomyomatosis: Sporadic lymphangioleiomyomatosis is more likely to be progressive than lymphangioleiomyomatosis seen in individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex.
- gunfire: Apart from hearing sporadic gunfire the day was pretty quiet.
- adenoma: These features were not observed in patients with sporadic primary parathyroid adenomas.
- meteor: In addition to sporadic meteors, there are also meteor showers during which many meteors may be observed at the same moment.
- outbreak: The East End has seen sporadic outbreaks of mob violence, often punished by death.
Modifying Another Word
- apparently: Secondly, Dr. Will reported that he was now aware of five cases of apparently sporadic CJD in young people.
- somewhat: That may explain her somewhat sporadic contacts with CSA.
- rather: At present, the repository provision picture across institutions in the West Midlands is rather sporadic.
- often: Research training is often sporadic in its delivery and too general in its approach.
- only: There was only sporadic resistance, according to monitored radio reports.
- very: Development over the next few years was very sporadic.
Used with adjective complement
- remain: Progress again here has been slow, and news feeds from the club remain sporadic to say the least.
- become: Archibald headed over from a Wilson corner having evaded his marker but chances were becoming even more sporadic now.
- seem: The chat seemed too sporadic for a chat show, and the hills too occasional for a hill show.
- call: When there is no previous family history of retinoblastoma, the disease is called sporadic.
Browse dictionary entries near sporadic
- Sporades
- spoor
- spoony
- spoonful
- spoonerism
- spoonbill
- spoon-feed
- spoon bread
- spoon
- spool
- sporangium
- spore
- spore case
- spore fruit
- spore mother cell
- sporiferous
- sporo-
- sporocarp
- sporocyst
- sporogenesis
