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Definition of intermittent

intermittent

/ˌɪn.tɚˈmɪt.ənt/
in · ter · mit · tent
Adverb:intermittently
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intermittent Lexical Profile

intermittent Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Occurring at irregular intervals; not continuous or steady; stopping and starting repeatedly.

Example

"The weather forecast calls for cloudy skies with intermittent rain throughout the afternoon."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for intermittent
Antonyms
View all antonyms for intermittent

Word Nuance & Usage

'Intermittent' describes something that stops and starts at irregular intervals, whereas 'periodic' implies occurring at regular, predictable intervals, and 'sporadic' emphasizes scattered or isolated occurrences.

• Rhymes for intermittent

• Nearby Words

intermingle
intermission
intermittency
intermittent
intermittently
intermix
intermixture

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the mid-16th century from Latin intermittentem, the present participle of intermittere ('to leave off, pause, or leave an interval'), formed from inter- ('between') and mittere ('to send or let go').

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Intermittent. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/intermittent
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