Intermittent: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Intermittent adjective. Stopping and starting at irregular intervals.
How to say it
in-tuh-MIT-unt/ˌɪntəˈmɪt(ə)nt/
4 syllables, stressed on the third (MIT).
Intermittent in a sentence
Intermittent rain kept us dashing in and out of the café.
The fault is intermittent, which is why the garage can never find it.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- sporadic
- fitful
- periodic
- on and off
Opposite:
- continuous
- constant
- steady
Where intermittent comes from
From Latin intermittere, to leave off for a while.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The fault is _____, which is why the garage can never find it.
- continuous
- intermittent
- incipient
Show the answer
intermittent: The fault is intermittent, which is why the garage can never find it.