English Explanatory Dictionary

desultory

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Jumping, or passing, from one thing or subject to another, without order, planning, or rational connection; lacking logical sequence.
  2. Out of course; by the way; not connected with the subject.
  3. Disappointing in performance or progress.
  4. Leaping, skipping or flitting about, generally in a random or unsteady manner.

Pronunciation

/ˈdɛs.əl.t(ə).ɹi/ /ˈdɛz.əl.t(ə).ɹi/ /ˈdɛs.əlˌtɔɹ.i/ /ˈdɛz.əlˌtɔɹ.i/ en-us-desultory.ogg en-us-desultory-2.ogg

Word forms

desultory more desultory most desultory

Etymology

From Latin dēsultōrius (“hasty, casual, superficial”), from dēsultor (“a circus rider who jumped from one galloping horse to another”), from dēsiliō (“jump down”), from dē (“down”) + saliō (“jump, leap”).

Synonyms

disconnected unmethodical aimless quodlibetic quodlibetical half-assed halfhearted

Related words

salient

Derived words

desultorily desultoriness
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