IRREGULAR

irregular, unpredictable

(adjective) not occurring at a regular rate or fixed intervals; “an irregular heartbeat”

irregular, maverick, unorthodox

(adjective) independent in behavior or thought; “she led a somewhat irregular private life”; “maverick politicians”

irregular

(adjective) (of a surface or shape); not level or flat or symmetrical; “walking was difficult on the irregular cobblestoned surface”

irregular, temporary

(adjective) lacking continuity or regularity; “an irregular worker”; “employed on a temporary basis”

atypical, irregular

(adjective) deviating from normal expectations; somewhat odd, strange, or abnormal; “these days large families are atypical”; “atypical clinical findings”; “atypical pneumonia”; “highly irregular behavior”

irregular

(adjective) failing to meet a standard of manufacture due to an imperfection; “an irregular pair of jeans”

irregular

(adjective) contrary to rule or accepted order or general practice; “irregular hiring practices”

irregular

(adjective) (of solids) not having clear dimensions that can be measured; volume must be determined with the principle of liquid displacement

irregular

(adjective) (used of the military) not belonging to or engaged in by regular army forces; “irregular troops”; “irregular warfare”

irregular, second

(noun) merchandise that has imperfections; usually sold at a reduced price without the brand name

guerrilla, guerilla, irregular, insurgent

(noun) a member of an irregular armed force that fights a stronger force by sabotage and harassment

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adjective

irregular (comparative more irregular, superlative most irregular)

nonstandard; not conforming to rules or expectations

(of a surface) rough

without symmetry, regularity, or uniformity

(geometry, of a polygon) not regular; having sides that are not equal or angles that are not equal

(geometry, of a polyhedron) whose faces are not all regular polygons (or are not equally inclined to each other)

(grammar, of a word) not following the regular or expected patterns of inflection in a given language

Synonyms

• (nonstandard): abnormal, singular; see also strange

• (rough): coarse, salebrous; see also rough

• (without uniformity): unstable, unsteady; see also unsteady

Antonyms

• regular

Noun

irregular (plural irregulars)

a soldier who is not a member of an official military force and, often, does not follow regular army tactics

one who does not regularly attend a venue

Source: Wiktionary


Ir*reg"u*lar, a. Etym: [Pref. ir- not + regular: cf. F. irrégulier.]

Definition: Not regular; not conforming to a law, method, or usage recognized as the general rule; not according to common form; not conformable to nature, to the rules of moral rectitude, or to established principles; not normal; unnatural; immethodical; unsymmetrical; erratic; no straight; not uniform; as, an irregular line; an irregular figure; an irregular verse; an irregular physician; an irregular proceeding; irregular motion; irregular conduct, etc. Cf. Regular. Mazes intricate, Eccentric, intervolved, yet regular Then most when most irregular they seem. Milton. Leading the men of Herefordshire to fight Against the irregular and wild Glendower. Shak. A flowery meadow through which a clear stream murmured in many irregular meanders. Jones.

Syn.

– Immethodical; unsystematic; abnormal; unnatural; anomalous; erratic; devious; crooked; eccentric; unsettled; uneven; variable; changeable; mutable; desultory; disorderly; wild; immoderate; intemperate; inordinate; vicious.

Ir*reg"u*lar, n.

Definition: One who is not regular; especially, a soldier not in regular service.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

12 January 2025

HABIT

(noun) (psychology) an automatic pattern of behavior in reaction to a specific situation; may be inherited or acquired through frequent repetition; “owls have nocturnal habits”; “she had a habit twirling the ends of her hair”; “long use had hardened him to it”


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Coffee Trivia

The Boston Tea Party helped popularize coffee in America. The hefty tea tax imposed on the colonies in 1773 resulted in America switching from tea to coffee. In the lead up to the Revolutionary War, it became patriotic to sip java instead of tea. The Civil War made the drink more pervasive. Coffee helped energize tired troops, and drinking it became an expression of freedom.

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