spasmodic

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   happening suddenly and irregularly in short bursts

   The lamp gave a spasmodic flicker before it went out.

2. 2
   adj

   involving involuntary muscle spasms or jerky contractions

   He felt a spasmodic twitch in his shoulder.

From New Latin spasmōdicus, from Ancient Greek σπασμώδης (spasmṓdēs, “spasmodic”), from σπασμός (spasmós, “spasm”).

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