desultory
3
9.9
- adjective
- /ˈdɛsəlˌtɔri/
- The Mulvaney household spread out on the porch and talked in a desultory way.
Examples
-
Their conversation was desultory, lacking a clear focus, as they chatted about random events from their week.
-
After some desultory conversation, the women went into the kitchen to prepare something for when the men returned.
Fiction book (1990) -
Pam and her mother talked in a desultory, friendly way in the front seat.
Fiction book (1991) -
From time to time, mother and son exchanged a few desultory comments.
Fiction book (1990) -
Was it because President Obama turned in a performance generally regarded as desultory, or was it something else?
Blog text (8) -
Spend two or three desultory hours in your public library and come back stoked.
Academic text (2010) -
"At dinner, there was desultory talk about Maud's shopping trip."
Fiction book (1993) -
Geller kept up his side of the conversation in a desultory manner.
Fiction book (1991) -
The chairwoman asked some desultory questions, but yielded the floor early to the ranking Republican: Mark Farrar.
Fiction book (2002) -
During the meeting, the discussion became desultory, jumping from topic to topic without resolving any issues.
Synonyms
13
3.6
Not having a clear goal or plan
5
6.0
Having no clear aim or plan
Not having clear plans or goals
Antonyms
How Focused
Surface Forms
Morphology
desultory = de + sult + ory
Although the form can be analysed into Latin elements (de- + sult + -ory), these parts are not productive, recognisable English morphemes for learners, so the meaning cannot be derived from them.
Etymology
Desultory comes from Latin parts de- ('from') and salire ('to jump'), and it originally described a rider who jumped from horse to horse. So a desultory action 'jumps' from one thing to another without a clear plan.