spəˈrad.]ik, spōˈ-, spȯˈ-, -at], ]ēk adjective
Etymology: Medieval Latin sporadicus, from Greek sporadikos scattered, from sporad-, sporas scattered; akin to Greek speirein to strew, sow — more at sprout
: occurring occasionally, singly, apart from other things of the same kind, or in scattered instances : separate , single , isolated
a sporadic case of disease
sporadic occurrence of a plant
sporadic fighting
• spo·rad·i·cal·ly ]ə̇k(ə)lē, ]ēk-, -li\ adverb