nomadic

adjective

no·​mad·​ic nō-ˈma-dik 

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of nomads

a nomadic tribe

nomadic herders

2

: roaming about from place to place aimlessly, frequently, or without a fixed pattern of movement

a nomadic hobo

Synonyms

• ambulant
• ambulatory
• errant
• fugitive
• gallivanting
• galavanting
• itinerant
• nomad
• perambulatory
• peregrine
• peripatetic
• ranging
• roaming
• roving
• vagabond
• vagrant
• wandering
• wayfaring

Examples of nomadic in a Sentence

raised in a nomadic family, she attended half a dozen different high schools

Recent Examples on the Web

The nomadic wisdom of ancestors from Central Asia, a finsta becoming a brand filled with creative experiments, a Gen Z success story from Estonia and men’s tailoring inspired by countryside women are some of the ideas cropping up in Paris for the spring 2025 men’s week. —Lily Templeton, WWD, 19 June 2024

Deprived of resources, the theory goes, the nomadic fighters who form Hemedti’s core forces will become restive and turn against him. —Alex De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2024

Humans are nomadic, always searching for the next thing, place or adventure. —Dean Minnich, Baltimore Sun, 16 June 2024

In order to cheer up her mother, Khosravi was constantly showing her videos of nomadic migrations. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Greek nomadikós "of a shepherd or herdsman, pastoral," from nomad-, nomás "wanderer, shepherd, nomad" + -ikos -ic entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1818, in the meaning defined at sense 1