intermittent

Where does the word "intermittent" come from? It comes from Latin intermittere, passing through Latin before entering English (1500s).

Intermittent’s story begins in Latin: intermittere meant “to leave off, to interrupt.” To leave off, to interrupt, from inter- (between) and mittere (to send). Within Latin, it grew into intermittens by ancient. Pausing at intervals, present participle of intermittere. It reached English by 1500s as intermittent. Settled as the English word for something occurring at irregular intervals. Today, intermittent means occurring at irregular intervals, stopping and starting rather than continuous.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient intermittere "to leave off, to interrupt", to leave off, to interrupt, from inter- (between) and mittere (to send).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient intermittens "pausing at intervals", pausing at intervals, present participle of intermittere.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s intermittent "occurring at irregular intervals, not continuous", settled as the English word for something occurring at irregular intervals.