Where does “sporadic” come from?
Sporadic derives from Medieval Latin sporadicus, from Ancient Greek σποραδικός, ultimately from Ancient Greek σπείρω meaning "to sow," through the Proto-Indo-European root sper-.
sporadic (English): occurring in isolated instances; not epidemic;...
Definitions
- occurring in isolated instances; not epidemic;...
Ancestry of “sporadic”, step by step
sporadic traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via French sporadique
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | sporadique | sporadic |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | σποραδικός | disperse, scattered |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | σποράς | scattered, dispersed |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | σπορά | seed |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | σπείρω | I sow; nominative/accusative/vocative dual of... |
| 6 | Proto-Hellenic | spéřřō | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | spéryeti | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | sper- | to fidget, twitch; to push; to be quick; to... |
via Medieval Latin sporadicus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medieval Latin | sporadicus | — |