sporadic

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]”).[1]

• (US) IPA^(key): /spəˈɹæɾɪk/, /spɔˈɹæɾɪk/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /spəˈɹædɪk/, /spɒˈɹædɪk/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ædɪk

sporadic (comparative more sporadic, superlative most sporadic)

1. (archaic) (of diseases) occurring in isolated instances; not epidemic.
2. Rare and scattered in occurrence.
   • 2015 March 12, Daniel Taylor, “Chelsea out of Champions League after Thiago Silva sends 10-man PSG through on away goals”, in The Guardian (London)‎:

     It was a stodgy, weary display from Mourinho’s team with only sporadic moments when they threatened Salvatore Sirigu’s goal and their manager seemed bewildered afterwards when he tried to explain what had gone wrong.

3. Exhibiting random behavior; patternless.

• sporadic E layer

• sporadical
• sporadically
• sporadicalness

• caproids, carpoids, picadors