"fitful" meaning in English

See fitful in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˈfɪtf(ʊ)l/ [Received-Pronunciation], /ˈfɪtf(ə)l/ [General-American] Audio: En-us-fitful.ogg [General-American] Forms: more fitful [comparative], most fitful [superlative]
Etymology: From fit (“convulsion, seizure; sudden burst of activity”) + -ful (suffix forming adjectives from nouns, with the sense of being full of, tending to, or thoroughly possessing the quality expressed by the noun). Etymology templates: {{glossary|suffix}} suffix, {{glossary|adjective}} adjective, {{glossary|noun}} noun, {{suffix|en|fit|ful|pos=adjective|pos2=suffix forming adjectives from nouns, with the sense of being full of, tending to, or thoroughly possessing the quality expressed by the noun|t1=convulsion, seizure; sudden burst of activity}} fit (“convulsion, seizure; sudden burst of activity”) + -ful (suffix forming adjectives from nouns, with the sense of being full of, tending to, or thoroughly possessing the quality expressed by the noun) Head templates: {{en-adj}} fitful (comparative more fitful, superlative most fitful)
  1. (obsolete) Characterized by fits (convulsions or seizures). Tags: obsolete
    Sense id: en-fitful-en-adj-StEVaLjq Categories (other): English adjectives suffixed with -ful, English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English adjectives suffixed with -ful: 49 51 Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 52 48
  2. (by extension) Characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between; intermittent, irregular, unsteady. Tags: broadly Synonyms: capricious, changeable, changing, erratic, shifting, spasmodic, discontinuous Translations (characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular): на пресекулки (na presekulki) (Bulgarian), прекъснат (prekǎsnat) (Bulgarian), grillig (Dutch), onregelmatig (Dutch), irrégulier (French), sporadique (French), იმპულსური (imṗulsuri) (Georgian), unregelmäßig (German), अशांत (aśānt) (Hindi), a singhiozzo (Italian), irregolare (Italian), rapsodico (Italian), sporadico (Italian), pūrekereke (note: of a breeze) (Maori), niespokojny (Polish), перемежающийся (peremežajuščijsja) (Russian), порывистый (poryvistyj) (Russian), прерывистый (preryvistyj) (Russian), судорожный (sudorožnyj) (Russian), inestable (Spanish), irregular (Spanish), đứt quãng (Vietnamese)
    Sense id: en-fitful-en-adj-kysJ8Q6z Categories (other): English adjectives suffixed with -ful, English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English adjectives suffixed with -ful: 49 51 Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 52 48 Disambiguation of 'characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular': 7 93
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: fitfully, fitfulness, unfitful Related terms: in fits and starts

Download JSON data for fitful meaning in English (8.9kB)

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "fitfully"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "fitfulness"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "unfitful"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "suffix"
      },
      "expansion": "suffix",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "adjective"
      },
      "expansion": "adjective",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "noun"
      },
      "expansion": "noun",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fit",
        "3": "ful",
        "pos": "adjective",
        "pos2": "suffix forming adjectives from nouns, with the sense of being full of, tending to, or thoroughly possessing the quality expressed by the noun",
        "t1": "convulsion, seizure; sudden burst of activity"
      },
      "expansion": "fit (“convulsion, seizure; sudden burst of activity”) + -ful (suffix forming adjectives from nouns, with the sense of being full of, tending to, or thoroughly possessing the quality expressed by the noun)",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From fit (“convulsion, seizure; sudden burst of activity”) + -ful (suffix forming adjectives from nouns, with the sense of being full of, tending to, or thoroughly possessing the quality expressed by the noun).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more fitful",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most fitful",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "fitful (comparative more fitful, superlative most fitful)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "fit‧ful"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "in fits and starts"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "49 51",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English adjectives suffixed with -ful",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "52 48",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Characterized by fits (convulsions or seizures)."
      ],
      "id": "en-fitful-en-adj-StEVaLjq",
      "links": [
        [
          "Characterized",
          "characterize"
        ],
        [
          "fits",
          "fit#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "convulsion",
          "convulsion"
        ],
        [
          "seizure",
          "seizure"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(obsolete) Characterized by fits (convulsions or seizures)."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ]
    },
    {
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "unfitful"
        },
        {
          "word": "continuous"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "49 51",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English adjectives suffixed with -ful",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "52 48",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "His breathing was fitful.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "Troubled by her unfinished work, she fell into a fitful sleep.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2012 October 27, “The economy: Don’t say ‘green shoots’: Britain emerges from its second recession in four years”, in The Economist, London: Economist Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2012-10-29",
          "text": "So fitful has Britain’s economy been that any good news is understandably snatched at.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between; intermittent, irregular, unsteady."
      ],
      "id": "en-fitful-en-adj-kysJ8Q6z",
      "links": [
        [
          "sudden",
          "sudden"
        ],
        [
          "bursts",
          "burst#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "activity",
          "activity"
        ],
        [
          "period",
          "period"
        ],
        [
          "inactivity",
          "inactivity"
        ],
        [
          "intermittent",
          "intermittent"
        ],
        [
          "irregular",
          "irregular#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "unsteady",
          "unsteady"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(by extension) Characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between; intermittent, irregular, unsteady."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "capricious"
        },
        {
          "word": "changeable"
        },
        {
          "word": "changing"
        },
        {
          "word": "erratic"
        },
        {
          "word": "shifting"
        },
        {
          "word": "spasmodic"
        },
        {
          "word": "discontinuous"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "broadly"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "na presekulki",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "на пресекулки"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "prekǎsnat",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "прекъснат"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "grillig"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "onregelmatig"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "irrégulier"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "sporadique"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "imṗulsuri",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "იმპულსური"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "unregelmäßig"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "hi",
          "lang": "Hindi",
          "roman": "aśānt",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "अशांत"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "a singhiozzo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "irregolare"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "rapsodico"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "sporadico"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "note": "of a breeze",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "pūrekereke"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "niespokojny"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "peremežajuščijsja",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "перемежающийся"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "poryvistyj",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "порывистый"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "preryvistyj",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "прерывистый"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "sudorožnyj",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "судорожный"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "inestable"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "irregular"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "vi",
          "lang": "Vietnamese",
          "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
          "word": "đứt quãng"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈfɪtf(ʊ)l/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈfɪtf(ə)l/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-us-fitful.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/45/En-us-fitful.ogg/En-us-fitful.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/En-us-fitful.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (GA)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "fitful"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English 2-syllable words",
    "English adjectives",
    "English adjectives suffixed with -ful",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "fitfully"
    },
    {
      "word": "fitfulness"
    },
    {
      "word": "unfitful"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "suffix"
      },
      "expansion": "suffix",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "adjective"
      },
      "expansion": "adjective",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "noun"
      },
      "expansion": "noun",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fit",
        "3": "ful",
        "pos": "adjective",
        "pos2": "suffix forming adjectives from nouns, with the sense of being full of, tending to, or thoroughly possessing the quality expressed by the noun",
        "t1": "convulsion, seizure; sudden burst of activity"
      },
      "expansion": "fit (“convulsion, seizure; sudden burst of activity”) + -ful (suffix forming adjectives from nouns, with the sense of being full of, tending to, or thoroughly possessing the quality expressed by the noun)",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From fit (“convulsion, seizure; sudden burst of activity”) + -ful (suffix forming adjectives from nouns, with the sense of being full of, tending to, or thoroughly possessing the quality expressed by the noun).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more fitful",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most fitful",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "fitful (comparative more fitful, superlative most fitful)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "fit‧ful"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "in fits and starts"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with obsolete senses"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Characterized by fits (convulsions or seizures)."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Characterized",
          "characterize"
        ],
        [
          "fits",
          "fit#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "convulsion",
          "convulsion"
        ],
        [
          "seizure",
          "seizure"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(obsolete) Characterized by fits (convulsions or seizures)."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ]
    },
    {
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "unfitful"
        },
        {
          "word": "continuous"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "His breathing was fitful.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "Troubled by her unfinished work, she fell into a fitful sleep.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2012 October 27, “The economy: Don’t say ‘green shoots’: Britain emerges from its second recession in four years”, in The Economist, London: Economist Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2012-10-29",
          "text": "So fitful has Britain’s economy been that any good news is understandably snatched at.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between; intermittent, irregular, unsteady."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "sudden",
          "sudden"
        ],
        [
          "bursts",
          "burst#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "activity",
          "activity"
        ],
        [
          "period",
          "period"
        ],
        [
          "inactivity",
          "inactivity"
        ],
        [
          "intermittent",
          "intermittent"
        ],
        [
          "irregular",
          "irregular#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "unsteady",
          "unsteady"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(by extension) Characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between; intermittent, irregular, unsteady."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "capricious"
        },
        {
          "word": "changeable"
        },
        {
          "word": "changing"
        },
        {
          "word": "erratic"
        },
        {
          "word": "shifting"
        },
        {
          "word": "spasmodic"
        },
        {
          "word": "discontinuous"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "broadly"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈfɪtf(ʊ)l/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈfɪtf(ə)l/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-us-fitful.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/45/En-us-fitful.ogg/En-us-fitful.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/En-us-fitful.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (GA)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "na presekulki",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "на пресекулки"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "prekǎsnat",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "прекъснат"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "grillig"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "onregelmatig"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "irrégulier"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "sporadique"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "imṗulsuri",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "იმპულსური"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "unregelmäßig"
    },
    {
      "code": "hi",
      "lang": "Hindi",
      "roman": "aśānt",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "अशांत"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "a singhiozzo"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "irregolare"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "rapsodico"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "sporadico"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "note": "of a breeze",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "pūrekereke"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "niespokojny"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "peremežajuščijsja",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "перемежающийся"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "poryvistyj",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "порывистый"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "preryvistyj",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "прерывистый"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "sudorožnyj",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "судорожный"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "inestable"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "irregular"
    },
    {
      "code": "vi",
      "lang": "Vietnamese",
      "sense": "characterized by sudden bursts of activity with periods of inactivity in between — see also intermittent, irregular",
      "word": "đứt quãng"
    }
  ],
  "word": "fitful"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-03 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-05-02 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.