spasmodic
adjective /spæzˈmɒdɪk/
/spæzˈmɑːdɪk/
- happening suddenly for short periods of time; not regular or continuous
- a spasmodic interest in politics
- There was spasmodic fighting in the area yesterday.
- The training given was spasmodic and followed no organized pattern.
- (specialist) caused by your muscles becoming tight in a way that you cannot control
- spasmodic movements
Word Originlate 17th cent.: from modern Latin spasmodicus, from Greek spasmōdēs, from spasma, from span ‘pull’.