Erratic

Erratic
Erratic Er*rat"ic, a. [L. erraticus, fr. errare to wander: cf. F. erratique. See {Err}.] 1. Having no certain course; roving about without a fixed destination; wandering; moving; -- hence, applied to the planets as distinguished from the fixed stars. [1913 Webster]

The earth and each erratic world. --Blackmore. [1913 Webster]

2. Deviating from a wise of the common course in opinion or conduct; eccentric; strange; queer; as, erratic conduct. [1913 Webster]

3. Irregular; changeable. ``Erratic fever.'' --Harvey. [1913 Webster]

{Erratic blocks}, {gravel, etc.} (Geol.), masses of stone which have been transported from their original resting places by the agency of water, ice, or other causes.

{Erratic phenomena}, the phenomena which relate to transported materials on the earth's surface. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • erratic — er‧rat‧ic [ɪˈrætɪk] adjective having no pattern or plan, making it difficult to know what is going to happen: • Erratic currency markets led to intervention by the major central banks. • the erratic performance of exports * * * erratic UK US… …   Financial and business terms

  • Erratic — can refer to: *glacial erratic *erratic ant …   Wikipedia

  • erratic — [i rat′ik] adj. [ME erratik < OFr erratique < L erraticus, wandering < pp. of errare: see ERR] 1. having no fixed course or purpose; irregular; random; wandering 2. deviating from the normal, conventional, or customary course; eccentric; …   English World dictionary

  • Erratic — Er*rat ic, n. 1. One who deviates from common and accepted opinions; one who is eccentric or preserve in his intellectual character. [1913 Webster] 2. A rogue. [Obs.] Cockeram. [1913 Webster] 3. (Geol.) Any stone or material that has been borne… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • erratic — index anomalous, astray, broken (interrupted), capricious, desultory, disjointed, eccentric, inconsisten …   Law dictionary

  • erratic — (adj.) late 14c., wandering, moving, from O.Fr. erratique (13c.) and directly from L. erraticus wandering, straying, roving, from erratum an error, mistake, fault, pp. of errare to wander, err (see ERR (Cf. err)). Sense of irregular, eccentric is …   Etymology dictionary

  • erratic — eccentric, odd, queer, *strange, singular, peculiar, unique, quaint, outlandish, curious Analogous words: aberrant, *abnormal, atypical: irregular, unnatural, anomalous: capricious, fickle, mercurial, inconstant Contrasted words: normal, *regular …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • erratic — [adj] unpredictable; wandering aberrant, abnormal, anomalous, arbitrary, bizarre, capricious, changeable, desultory, devious, dicey, directionless, dubious, eccentric, fitful, flaky*, fluctuant, idiosyncratic, iffy*, incalculable, inconsistent,… …   New thesaurus

  • erratic — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ not even or regular in pattern or movement. DERIVATIVES erratically adverb erraticism noun …   English terms dictionary

  • erratic — I. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Latin erraticus, from erratus, past participle of errare Date: 14th century 1. a. having no fixed course ; wandering < an erratic comet > b. archaic nomadic …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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