desultory

adjective

des·​ul·​to·​ry ˈde-səl-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce desultory (audio)
-zəl-;
di-ˈsəl-t(ə-)rē,
-ˈzəl-
1
: marked by lack of definite plan, regularity, or purpose
a dragged-out ordeal of … desultory shoppingHerman Wouk
2
: not connected with the main subject
desultory comments
3
: disappointing in progress, performance, or quality
a desultory fifth place finish
a desultory wine
desultorily adverb
desultoriness noun

Did you know?

The Latin adjective desultorius was used by the ancients to refer to a circus performer (called a desultor) whose trick was to leap from horse to horse without stopping. It makes sense, then, that someone or something desultory "jumps" from one thing to another. (Desultor and desultorius, by the way, come from the Latin verb salire, meaning "to leap.") A desultory conversation leaps from one topic to another and doesn't have a distinct point or direction. A desultory student skips from one subject to another without applying serious effort to any particular one. A desultory comment is a digressive one that jumps away from the topic at hand. And a desultory performance is one resulting from an implied lack of steady, focused effort.

Examples of desultory in a Sentence

a desultory search for something of interest on TV a desultory discussion about the news of the day
Recent Examples on the Web Trade between the states remains strong, yet communication between the two countries, once robust, is now mostly desultory meetings between officials and foreign ministers. Shivshankar Menon, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2021 The Expos finished 52-110. — 1943 and 1916 Athletics, 20 in a row: Mack (not Mauch) staggered through a desultory August 1943, that included 24 losses in the last 25 games of the month. Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2024 If nothing else, that suggested negotiations were indeed ongoing – a positive sign in otherwise desultory U.S.-Russian relations. Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Aug. 2024 Freddie Freeman provided the thunder in Dodger Stadium on Friday night, lining a grand slam into the right-field bullpen in the eighth inning to turn what looked like a desultory loss to the Boston Red Sox into a dramatic 4-1 victory in front of a crowd of 51,562. Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for desultory 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'desultory.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin desultorius, literally, of a circus rider who leaps from horse to horse, from desilire to leap down, from de- + salire to leap — more at sally

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of desultory was in 1581

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Dictionary Entries Near desultory

Cite this Entry

“Desultory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desultory. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

desultory

adjective
des·​ul·​to·​ry ˈdes-əl-ˌtōr-ē How to pronounce desultory (audio)
-ˌtȯr-
: passing aimlessly from one thing or subject to another
desultory conversation
desultorily adverb
desultoriness noun

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