I. -zhən ə l, -zhnəl adjective
1. : occurring or operating on a particular occasion : proceeding from the occasion
the cabinet has occasional special meetings to deal with urgent matters
a budget must be able to meet occasional demands as well as regular ones
2. : acting as the occasion or contributing cause of something
nothing else occasional of my long silence — D.G.Rossetti
3. : written for a particular occasion or to celebrate a particular event or anniversary
an occasional essay
an occasional poem
occasional verse
4. : met with, appearing, or occurring irregularly and according to no fixed or certain scheme : infrequent
takes an occasional vacation
sees an occasional visitor
runs into an occasional storm
5. : acting in a specified capacity on a particular occasion or from time to time
an occasional speaker
an occasional chauffeur
an occasional fisherman
6. : designed or constructed to be used as the occasion demands
an occasional chair
an occasional table
II. noun
( -s )
: something occasional — usually used in plural
the furniture department has a good selection of occasionals