occasional

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Occurring or appearing irregularly from time to time, but not often; incidental.

   He was mostly solitary, but enjoyed the occasional visitor.

2. 2
   adj

   Created for a specific occasion.

   Elgar's music was not created to be occasional music for high-school graduations.

3. 3
   adj

   Intended for use as the occasion requires.

   What your living room needs are some occasional chairs.

4. 4
   adj

   Acting in the indicated role from time to time.

   He is an occasional writer of letters to the editor.

5. 5
   adj

   recurring or reappearing from time to time

6. 6
   adj

   occurring or appearing at usually irregular intervals

7. 7
   adj

   occurring from time to time

8. 8
   noun

   A person who does something only occasionally.

Etymology

From Middle English occasyonal, from Medieval Latin occāsiōnālis and Old French ocasionel. By surface analysis, occasion + -al.