Sporadic
/spəˈræd.ɪk/noun
Occurring at irregular intervals or only in scattered instances.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Greek *sporadikos*, from *sporas* meaning “scattered,” and shares a root with words about sowing and seed, not superstition—but the image of something appearing in scattered bursts made it perfect for describing irregular events.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sper-
“to scatter, sow”
Ancient Greek
Greek
σποράς (sporás)
“scattered; sown here and there”
Late Greek
Greek
σποραδικός (sporadikós)
“scattered, occurring here and there”
Late Latin
Latin
sporadicus
“scattered, sporadic”
16th Century
English
sporadic
“occurring in scattered places or at intervals”