sporadic

Meanings

1. (of diseases) occurring in isolated instances; not epidemic.
2. Rare and scattered in occurrence.
3. Exhibiting random behavior; patternless.
4. Not belonging to any infinite family; an exception to an otherwise orderly classification.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin sporadicus (whence also French sporadique, Italian sporadico, Spanish esporádico), from Ancient Greek σποραδικός (sporadikós), from σποράς (sporás, “scattered, dispersed”), from σπορά (sporá), σπόρος (spóros, “a sowing [of seed]”).