Word a Day
desultory
What does desultory mean?
desultory (adjective): jumping, or passing, from one thing or subject to another, without order, planning, or rational connection; lacking logical sequence.
Definition: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
How do you use desultory in a sentence?
- He wandered round, cleaning up in a desultory way. (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0)
How do you pronounce desultory?
/ˈdɛsəlˌtɔɹi/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.
Where does desultory come from?
From Latin dēsultōrius (“hasty, casual, superficial”), from dēsultor (“a circus rider who jumped from one galloping horse to another”).
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Test yourself: do you know “desultory”?
Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.
What does “desultory” mean?
worthy of, or causing, abhorrence, as a thing of evil omen; odious in the utmost degree; very hateful; detestable; loathsome; execrable
Not quite: that's what abominable means.
able to be hammered into thin sheets; capable of being extended or shaped by beating with a hammer, or by the pressure of rollers
Not quite: that's what malleable means.
jumping, or passing, from one thing or subject to another, without order, planning, or rational connection; lacking logical sequence
Right! That's what “desultory” means.
chiefly of a person's expression: suggesting (slight) confusion or puzzlement, especially in an amused manner; curious, questioning
Not quite: that's what quizzical means.
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