Desultory
des·ul·to·ry [desəlˌtôrē] adj. - passing or jumping from one thing to another, esp in a fitful way; unmethodical; disconnected.
Synonyms: random, vague, irregular, loose, rambling, inconsistent, erratic, disconnected, haphazard, cursory, aimless, off and on, fitful, spasmodic, discursive, unsystematic, inconstant, maundering, unmethodical
Etymology: 1580s, "skipping about," from Latin desultorius "hasty, casual, superficial," adjective form of desultor (n.) "a rider in the circus who jumps from one horse to another while they are in gallop," from desul-, stem of desilire "jump down," from de- "down" (see de-) + salire "to jump, leap" (see salient). Sense of "irregular, without aim or method" is c.1740. Related: Desultorily; desultoriness.
32 comments:
I think I have not been using that word in quite the correct way.
Huh, I didn't realise that's what that word meant.
I always thought it meant doing something with a pina colada in one hand and a TV remote in the other.
But the image of a rider jumping from one horse to the other will definitely help me remember.
I'm enjoying your A to Z Blogposts. They remind me of the dinner table games my Dad used to play with us using The Reader's Digest vocabulary page ;) Smarties to the smarty who could define the word.
We are definitely desultory but not in a fitful way.
Dani & Jax @ Cover Girls
Love that word!
Another good word to add to the arsenal.
des·ul·to·ry- so that's what it's called. I just thought I was having a fit.
This word does not describe me at all, except to say...SQUIRREL!
I would rather ignore this word, as too often it is applied to me.
A new word to use!
Perfect word of the day... I gotta fit this in a conversation today.
Dani @ Entertaining Interests
#warriorminion
I didn't know this word. Thanks for sharing!
Describes my kindergartners!
That's actually a word I avoid using, because people always think it means something else. It doesn't sound like what it means at all.
Hey, that adjective describes me! Fitful, jumping from one story to another. Thanks for this one. I can't wait to use it at my next party. "Hi! Do I seem a tad desultory to you?"
This is a word I need to know! This is my life at times. Love it!
What a fun word. I even like the way it sounds.
That word immediately makes me think of "A Simple Desultory Philippic (or How I Was Robert McNamara'd into Submission)," one of the songs on the album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme.
Not at all what I thought it meant. :/
Great word choice! I have a friend who comes to mind...
Commenting on people's blogs is very desultory.
Sounds like my thought process.
WOW all this time and I just realized that I'm Desultory!
Connie
Checkin' in from the A to Z Challenge.
Peanut Butter and Whine
An interesting looking word typed, but I"m not sure I would ever be in love with saying...but that is probably because I am partial to erratic and haphazard...because they are fun to say. :)
Desultory is a really good word! Don't think I've ever used it in my life, however.
That is my life.... also known as adult ADD.
Just read the email you sent out the other day. Thought I'd come to visit. I was already 4 days behind but I have now officially caught up!
L
So a desultor is one who leaps or jumps from one to another? Makes me think of pollinators.
Another word added to my vocabulary. Have fun A-Z-ing! :)
Sincerely,Miss Uncertain---sidetracked
A new word a day...keeps the lexicon...er...I'm not getting the exact word to complete the rhyme! Let this April end...I'll sure get it:)
This is a great word. I work in public mental health and we often use a lot of different words to describe disorganized thought processes. I wonder if I can find a way to use this in a progress note...
Lyre at Lyre's Musings
I like that word! I'm gonna try to use it today!
L
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