Desultory

Pronunciation ,

• UK IPA: /ˈdÉ›s.É™l.t(É™).ɹi/, /ˈdÉ›z.É™l.t(É™).ɹi/
• US IPA: /ˈdÉ›s.É™lËŒtɔɹ.i/, /ˈdÉ›z.É™lËŒtɔɹ.i/

Origin

From Latin desultorius ("hasty, casual, superficial"), from desultor ("a circus rider who jumped from one galloping horse to another"), from dēsiliō ("jump down"), from dē ("down") + saliō ("jump, leap")

Full definition of desultory

Adjective

1. Jumping, or passing, from one thing or subject to another, without order or rational connection; without logical sequence.
• 1850, Charles Dickens, , Chapter 25To mend the matter, Hamlet's aunt had the family failing of indulging in soliloquy, and held forth in a desultory manner, by herself, on every topic that was introduced.
2. He wandered round, cleaning up in a desultory way.I teach a class of desultory minds.
3. Out of course; by the way; as a digression; not connected with the subject.I made a desultory remark while I was talking to my friend.She made a desultory attempt at conversation.
4. Disappointing in performance or progress.
5. (obsolete) Leaping, skipping or flitting about, generally in a random or unsteady manner.

Synonyms

• (proceeding without rational order or connection) disconnected; unmethodical; aimless

Derived terms

• desultorily