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Word a Day

sporadic

adjective · /spəˈɹædɪk/ · Level 3 · Advanced

What does sporadic mean?

sporadic (adjective): recurring in scattered and irregular or unpredictable instances.

Definition: Princeton WordNet 3.1.

How do you pronounce sporadic?

/spəˈɹædɪk/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.

Where does sporadic come from?

From Medieval Latin sporadicus (whence also French sporadique, Italian sporadico, Spanish esporádico), from Ancient Greek σποραδικός (sporadikós).

Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Test yourself: do you know “sporadic”?

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What does “sporadic” mean?

recurring in scattered and irregular or unpredictable instances

Right! That's what “sporadic” means.

violating morality or decency; provoking indignation or affront

Not quite: that's what outrageous means.

unwilling to do work or make an effort; disinclined to exertion

Not quite: that's what lazy means.

lacking strength; weak; languid; inclined to lose consciousness

Not quite: that's what faint means.

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