Sporadic

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1680s, from Medieval Latin sporadicus "scattered," from Greek sporadikos "scattered," from sporas (genitive sporados) "scattered, dispersed," from spora "a sowing". Originally a medical term, "occurring in scattered instances;" the meaning "happening at intervals" is first recorded 1847.

Sporadic 一词源自希腊语 spora （种子、播种），与英语单词 spore （孢子）同源。

自然条件下植物的种子随风传播（如蒲公英）或附着经过的动物传播（如苍耳），其生长出来的后代必然东零西落、四处分散。所以 sporadic 其本义即指“（植物等）分散的、非集中于一处的”。