Explanation at your level:
You use intermittent to say something happens, then stops, then happens again. It is not always on. Like a blinking light! It is a big word, but it just means 'not steady'.
If you have intermittent internet, it means it works sometimes and stops sometimes. It is not constant. You can use it to talk about weather or noises that come and go throughout the day.
Intermittent is a useful adjective for describing things that are not continuous. For example, 'intermittent rain' means it rains for a bit, stops, and starts again. It is more formal than saying 'on and off'.
Use intermittent to add precision to your descriptions. It is common in technical or professional contexts, such as 'intermittent faults' in machinery or 'intermittent fasting' as a health practice. It implies a repeating, though irregular, pattern.
In advanced English, intermittent can describe abstract concepts like 'intermittent motivation' or 'intermittent success'. It suggests a lack of sustained effort or presence. It is a precise alternative to 'sporadic' or 'episodic' when you want to emphasize the gaps in a sequence.
At the mastery level, intermittent carries connotations of rhythm and cycle. It is used in literary and academic prose to evoke a sense of instability or fragmentation. Its etymological roots in 'sending between' allow for elegant usage in describing the ebb and flow of historical trends or complex scientific phenomena.
30秒でわかる単語
- Means happening in stops and starts.
- Opposite of continuous.
- Common in tech and weather.
- Adjective form.
When we say something is intermittent, we mean it is not a steady, constant stream. Imagine a leaky faucet that drips for a minute, stops for ten, and then starts dripping again. That is a perfect example of an intermittent process.
You will often hear this word in professional or technical settings. It helps describe things that are unreliable or inconsistent. If your internet connection is intermittent, it means you have signal for a while, then you lose it, and then it comes back.
Think of it as the opposite of continuous. While a steady hum of a fan is continuous, the sound of a cricket chirping is intermittent. It is a very useful word to have in your vocabulary when you need to describe things that change over time.
The word intermittent comes from the Latin word intermittens, which is the present participle of intermittere. This Latin root literally means to 'send between' or 'leave off for a time'.
The prefix inter- means 'between', and mittere means 'to send'. So, historically, it described something that had a gap or a space 'sent' into it, breaking the flow of time. It entered English in the late 16th century, originally used in medical contexts to describe fevers that would come and go.
Over the centuries, the usage expanded from medicine to everything from weather patterns to electrical signals. It is a great example of how a Latin root word has traveled through history to become a staple of modern scientific and daily language.
In English, we use intermittent to describe things that are clearly not constant. Common collocations include 'intermittent rain', 'intermittent fasting', and 'intermittent signal'.
The register is generally neutral to formal. You might see it in a weather report or a technical manual, but you probably wouldn't use it in very casual slang. If you are talking to a friend, you might say 'on and off' instead, but 'intermittent' is perfect for when you need to sound more precise.
It is important to note that it implies a pattern of returning. If something stops once and never happens again, 'intermittent' might not be the best choice; 'sporadic' or 'occasional' might be better depending on the context.
While 'intermittent' itself isn't usually the core of an idiom, it is used in phrases that act like them. 1. On and off: Used to describe something happening intermittently. 2. Fits and starts: Describes progress that is not smooth or steady. 3. Now and then: Refers to occasional, intermittent occurrences. 4. Hot and cold: Often used for behavior that is inconsistent. 5. Off-again, on-again: Specifically used for relationships or projects that stop and restart.
Pronunciation: In British English, it is pronounced /ˌɪntəˈmɪtənt/, while in American English, the 't' sounds are often softer, /ˌɪntərˈmɪtənt/. The stress is on the second syllable: in-TER-mi-tent.
Grammar: It is an adjective, so it modifies nouns. You can say 'The intermittent noise was annoying.' It is not typically used as a verb, though you can use the verb 'intermit', which is quite rare and formal.
Rhymes: It rhymes loosely with 'indifferent' or 'incontinent', though these are not perfect rhymes. Focus on the 'mit-ent' ending to master the rhythm of the word.
Fun Fact
It was originally a medical term for fevers that came and went.
Pronunciation Guide
Sounds like in-tuh-MIT-unt
Sounds like in-ter-MIT-unt
Common Errors
- Pronouncing the 't' too hard
- Missing the middle vowel
- Misplacing the stress
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Common in news and technical writing
Good for descriptive essays
Useful for explaining technical issues
Often used in reports
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
上級
Grammar to Know
Adjective usage
The intermittent light.
Subject-Verb agreement
The signals are intermittent.
Articles with adjectives
An intermittent sound.
Examples by Level
The light is intermittent.
The light / is / not steady.
Adjective after verb
The rain is intermittent.
The rain / stops and starts.
Adjective after verb
I hear an intermittent sound.
I hear / a sound / that comes and goes.
Adjective before noun
The signal is intermittent.
The signal / is / not constant.
Adjective after verb
It is an intermittent problem.
It is / a / problem / that happens sometimes.
Adjective before noun
The wind is intermittent.
The wind / blows / then stops.
Adjective after verb
We have intermittent sun.
We have / sun / that comes and goes.
Adjective before noun
The noise is intermittent.
The noise / is / not steady.
Adjective after verb
The car has an intermittent engine issue.
We experienced intermittent power outages.
The intermittent beeping was annoying.
He practices intermittent fasting.
The connection is intermittent today.
There was intermittent traffic on the road.
She felt intermittent pain in her leg.
The internet has been intermittent all morning.
The intermittent showers made the hike difficult.
Engineers are trying to fix the intermittent glitch.
His intermittent attendance led to poor grades.
We enjoyed intermittent views of the ocean.
The machine gives off an intermittent hum.
Intermittent support is not enough to finish the project.
The intermittent flashes of lightning were beautiful.
She suffered from intermittent headaches.
The intermittent nature of the income made budgeting hard.
There was an intermittent supply of water during the drought.
The intermittent success of the team was frustrating.
He provided intermittent updates on the progress.
The intermittent contact with the satellite was expected.
Intermittent bursts of energy helped him finish.
The intermittent noise from the neighbors kept me awake.
Their intermittent communication caused many misunderstandings.
The intermittent rhythm of the waves was hypnotic.
Her intermittent presence at meetings was noted.
The intermittent transmission of data caused errors.
Intermittent volcanic activity was observed.
The intermittent sparks of genius were rare.
There was an intermittent flow of refugees.
His intermittent interest in art was genuine.
The intermittent logic of the argument was flawed.
The intermittent echoes of the past haunt the ruins.
An intermittent pulse of light signaled the ship.
The intermittent cadence of his speech was deliberate.
Intermittent glimmers of hope remained.
The intermittent surges of the tide were dangerous.
Intermittent manifestations of the disease occurred.
The intermittent flickering of the candle was eerie.
Her intermittent efforts were insufficient for success.
よく使う組み合わせ
Idioms & Expressions
"on and off"
happening intermittently
It rained on and off all day.
casual"by fits and starts"
in an irregular way
The work progressed by fits and starts.
neutral"now and then"
occasionally
I see him now and then.
casual"in dribs and drabs"
small amounts at a time
The information came in dribs and drabs.
casual"off and on"
intermittently
We have been friends off and on for years.
casual"here and there"
in various places/times
There were flashes of light here and there.
neutralEasily Confused
Both mean irregular
Sporadic is more random
Sporadic rain vs intermittent rain.
Opposite
Constant is steady
Constant noise.
Both imply gaps
Occasional is less frequent
Occasional visits.
Opposite
Continuous never stops
Continuous flow.
Sentence Patterns
The [noun] is intermittent.
The signal is intermittent.
Intermittent [noun] [verb].
Intermittent rain fell.
He experienced intermittent [noun].
He experienced intermittent pain.
The [noun] was characterized by intermittent [noun].
The work was characterized by intermittent progress.
Due to intermittent [noun], we [verb].
Due to intermittent power, we stopped.
語族
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
関連
How to Use It
7
Formality Scale
よくある間違い
Intermittent implies a repeating pattern.
It ends in -ent, not -ant.
They are opposites.
Intermittent is an adjective.
Intermittent sounds a bit clinical.
Tips
The Lightbulb Trick
Think of a blinking lightbulb.
Weather Reports
Listen for it when weather changes.
Health Trends
Connect it to 'intermittent fasting'.
Adjective placement
Use it before nouns or after 'to be'.
The 'T' sounds
Don't over-pronounce the middle T.
Don't use for 'once'
It must repeat.
Medical roots
It started as a fever term.
Flashcards
Use it in sentences about your day.
Business context
Use it for 'intermittent progress'.
Stress
Stress the second syllable.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
I-N-T-E-R (between) + MIT (send) = Send between gaps.
Visual Association
A blinking lighthouse beam.
Word Web
チャレンジ
Describe your internet connection today.
語源
Latin
Original meaning: to leave off for a time
文化的な背景
None
Commonly used in weather forecasts and health discussions.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Tech Support
- intermittent connection
- intermittent glitch
- intermittent signal
Weather
- intermittent rain
- intermittent showers
- intermittent clouds
Health
- intermittent fasting
- intermittent pain
- intermittent symptoms
Work
- intermittent progress
- intermittent updates
- intermittent communication
Conversation Starters
"Do you have intermittent internet at home?"
"What do you think about intermittent fasting?"
"Does it rain often where you live, or is it intermittent?"
"Have you ever had an intermittent problem with a car?"
"How do you handle intermittent stress at work?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a time you had an intermittent problem.
Is your study routine consistent or intermittent?
Write about the weather today using the word intermittent.
Why might someone choose intermittent fasting?
よくある質問
8 問They are very similar, but sporadic often implies more random timing.
Yes, to describe their attendance or mood.
It is neutral-formal.
Not necessarily, just inconsistent.
Yes, but 'highly intermittent' is more common.
Yes, for project progress.
I-N-T-E-R-M-I-T-T-E-N-T.
Yes, very common in technical English.
自分をテスト
The light is ___.
Intermittent describes the pattern.
What does intermittent mean?
It means occurring at intervals.
Intermittent means constant.
It is the opposite of constant.
Word
意味
They share the same meaning.
The rain is intermittent.
He has ___ success.
Intermittent success is a common collocation.
Intermittent can describe a person's mood.
It can describe mood swings.
Which is a synonym?
Sporadic means irregular.
Word
意味
Both imply gaps in time.
The intermittent showers caused delays.
スコア： /10
Summary
Intermittent means something happens, stops, and happens again, like a blinking light.
- Means happening in stops and starts.
- Opposite of continuous.
- Common in tech and weather.
- Adjective form.
The Lightbulb Trick
Think of a blinking lightbulb.
Weather Reports
Listen for it when weather changes.
Health Trends
Connect it to 'intermittent fasting'.
Adjective placement
Use it before nouns or after 'to be'.
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