sporadic

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   recurring in scattered and irregular or unpredictable instances

   A city subjected to sporadic bombing raids.

Simplified etymology

Sporadic entered English in the late 17th century through medieval Latin from Greek sporadikos, “scattered.” It is related to Greek speirein, “to sow,” also the source of spore; the Sporades islands likewise take their name from the idea of being scattered.

From Medieval Latin sporadicus (whence also French sporadique, Italian sporadico, Spanish esporádico), from Ancient Greek σποραδικός (sporadikós), from σποράς (sporás, “scattered, dispersed”), from σπορά (sporá), σπόρος (spóros, “a sowing [of seed]”).

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