irregular

B1 Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled unregular

US /ɪˈɹɛɡ.jə.lɚ/ UK /ɪˈɹɛɡ.jʊ.lə/ See IPA manual

Freq #12815

Meanings

1

adj
Not happening at equal or expected times

He has irregular working hours that change every week.
2

adj
Not even or smooth in shape or arrangement

The coastline had an irregular, jagged edge.
3

adj
Not following the usual rules of grammar

"Children" and "feet" are irregular plurals.
4

adj
Against the usual rules or accepted way of doing things

The company was accused of irregular hiring practices.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

abnormal roughsalebroussingular strange unsteady

Opposites

regular

Word family

Forms irregulars

Derived forms irregularistirregularityirregularizationirregularizeirregularlyirregularnessnonirregularregioirregularstereoirregular

Appears in

Etymology

From Middle English irreguler, from Old French irreguler, from Medieval Latin or Late Latin irrēgulāris, from in- + regularis, equivalent to ir- + regular.

irreguler Middle English irrēgulāris la-lat

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

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# irregular

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ɪˈɹɛɡ.jə.lɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪˈɹɛɡ.jʊ.lə/
**Frequency rank:** 12815

## Meanings
1. Not happening at equal or expected times
2. Not even or smooth in shape or arrangement
3. Not following the usual rules of grammar
4. Against the usual rules or accepted way of doing things

## Examples
- He has irregular working hours that change every week.
- The coastline had an irregular, jagged edge.
- "Children" and "feet" are irregular plurals.
- The company was accused of irregular hiring practices.

## Synonyms
- abnormal
- rough
- salebrous
- singular
- strange
- unsteady

## Antonyms
- regular

## Derived Forms
- irregularist
- irregularity
- irregularization
- irregularize
- irregularly
- irregularness
- nonirregular
- regioirregular
- stereoirregular

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: irreguler
- Root: irrēgulāris
- Affix: ir- - not

## Etymology
From Middle English irreguler, from Old French irreguler, from Medieval Latin or Late Latin irrēgulāris, from in- + regularis, equivalent to ir- + regular.

## AI Etymology
Irregular comes from Middle English irreguler, from Old French irreguler, from Medieval Latin or Late Latin irrēgulāris, from in- + regularis, equivalent to ir- + regular. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern adjectival form is built from the named base and affix.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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irregular

Meanings

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Phrases (2)

Etymology

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