— spontaneously , adv. — spontaneousness , n.
/spon tay"nee euhs/ , adj.
1. coming or resulting from a natural impulse or tendency; without effort or premeditation; natural and unconstrained; unplanned: a spontaneous burst of applause.
2. (of a person) given to acting upon sudden impulses.
3. (of natural phenomena) arising from internal forces or causes; independent of external agencies; self-acting.
4. growing naturally or without cultivation, as plants and fruits; indigenous.
5. produced by natural process.
[ 1650-60; spontaneus, equiv. to L spont ( e ) willingly + -aneus ( -an ( us ) -AN + -eus -EOUS) ]
Syn. 1. unpremeditated, free. See automatic, voluntary .
Ant. 1. premeditated.