Standard Lemma guide

irregular

adj · noun · 19 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ɪˈɹɛɡ.jʊ.lə/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ɪˈɹɛɡ.jə.lɚ/
  • Australian: /ɪˈɹeɡ.jə.lə/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 R EH1 G Y AH0 L ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Nonstandard; not conforming to rules or expectations.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of a surface, rough.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Without symmetry, regularity, or uniformity.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Of a polygon, not regular; having sides that are not equal or angles that are not equal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: geometry, mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Of a polyhedron, whose faces are not all regular polygons (or are not equally inclined to each other).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: geometry, mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

Of a word, not following the regular or expected patterns of inflection in a given language.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: grammar, human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

Examples

  • "Calves", "cacti", and "children" are irregular plurals.
  • "To buy" is an irregular English verb: its past simple and past participle tense is "bought".
  • I hate learning all the irregular conjugations in French.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

A soldier who is not a member of an official military force and who may not use regular army tactics.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

One who does not regularly attend a venue.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

adjective

Meaning 9

contrary to rule or accepted order or general practice

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • irregular hiring practices

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: regular

10

adjective

Meaning 10

(of solids) not having clear dimensions that can be measured; volume must be determined with the principle of liquid displacement

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: regular

11

adjective

Meaning 11

(used of the military) not belonging to or engaged in by regular army forces

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • irregular troops
  • irregular warfare

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: regular

12

adjective satellite

Meaning 12

not occurring at expected times

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unpredictable

Antonyms: none provided

13

adjective satellite

Meaning 13

independent in behavior or thought

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she led a somewhat irregular private life
  • maverick politicians

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: maverick, unorthodox

Antonyms: none provided

14

adjective satellite

Meaning 14

(of a surface or shape); not level or flat or symmetrical

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • walking was difficult on the irregular cobblestoned surface

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

adjective satellite

Meaning 15

lacking continuity or regularity

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an irregular worker
  • employed on a temporary basis

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: temporary

Antonyms: none provided

16

adjective satellite

Meaning 16

deviating from normal expectations; somewhat odd, strange, or abnormal

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • these days large families are atypical
  • atypical clinical findings
  • atypical pneumonia
  • highly irregular behavior

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: atypical

Antonyms: none provided

17

adjective satellite

Meaning 17

falling below the manufacturer's standard

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • irregular jeans

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

18

noun

Meaning 18

merchandise that has imperfections; usually sold at a reduced price without the brand name

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: second

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: merchandise, ware, product

19

noun

Meaning 19

a member of an irregular armed force that fights a stronger force by sabotage and harassment

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: guerrilla, guerilla, insurgent

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: warrior

Narrower terms: Maquis, Maquisard, urban guerrilla

History

Etymology

From Middle English irreguler, from Old French irreguler, from Medieval Latin or Late Latin irrēgulāris, from in- + regularis, equivalent to ir- + regular.

Across languages

Translations

117 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: անկանոն (ankanon) — non-standard
  • Belarusian: няпра́вільны (njaprávilʹny) — non-standard
  • Belarusian: нестанда́ртны (njestandártny) — non-standard
  • Bulgarian: непра́вилен (neprávilen) — non-standard
  • Bulgarian: нередо́вен (neredóven) — non-standard
  • Catalan: irregular — non-standard
  • Chinese Mandarin: 無常 /无常 (wúcháng) — non-standard
  • Dutch: onregelmatig — non-standard
  • Esperanto: neregulara — non-standard
  • Finnish: epäsäännöllinen — non-standard
  • Finnish: säännötön — non-standard
  • French: irrégulier — non-standard
  • German: irregulär — non-standard
  • German: unregelmäßig — non-standard
  • Greek: ακανόνιστος (akanónistos) — non-standard
  • Ancient Greek: ἀνώμαλος (anṓmalos) — non-standard
  • Hindi: अमानक (amānak) — non-standard
  • Hindi: अनियमित (aniymit) — non-standard
  • Ido: neregulala — non-standard
  • Irish: neamhrialta — non-standard
  • Italian: irregolare — non-standard
  • Japanese: 不規則な (fukisoku na) — non-standard
  • Japanese: 変則的な (hensokuteki ni) — non-standard
  • Latin: inconditus — non-standard
  • Latin: irrēgulāris — non-standard
  • Latin: ēnormis — non-standard
  • Māori: hikuwaru — non-standard
  • Norman: irrédgulyi — non-standard
  • Norwegian Bokmål: irregulær — non-standard
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: irregulær — non-standard
  • Plautdietsch: onbestendich — non-standard
  • Polish: nieregularny — non-standard
  • Portuguese: irregular — non-standard
  • Romanian: iregular — non-standard
  • Romanian: nereglementar — non-standard
  • Romanian: neregulat — non-standard
  • Russian: непра́вильный (neprávilʹnyj) — non-standard
  • Russian: нестанда́ртный (nestandártnyj) — non-standard
  • Spanish: irregular — non-standard
  • Swedish: oregelbunden — non-standard
  • Ottoman Turkish: قاعدهسز (kaʿidesiz) — non-standard
  • Ukrainian: непра́вильний (neprávylʹnyj) — non-standard
  • Ukrainian: нестанда́ртний (nestandártnyj) — non-standard
  • Arabic: شَاذّ (šāḏḏ) — in grammar, applied to words
  • Arabic: غَيْر مُنْتَظِم (ḡayr muntaẓim) — in grammar, applied to words
  • Armenian: անկանոն (ankanon) — in grammar, applied to words
  • Belarusian: няпра́вільны (njaprávilʹny) — in grammar, applied to words
  • Bulgarian: непра́вилен (neprávilen) — in grammar, applied to words
  • Catalan: irregular — in grammar, applied to words
  • Chinese Mandarin: 不規則 /不规则 (bùguīzé) — in grammar, applied to words
  • Czech: nepravidelný — in grammar, applied to words
  • Danish: uregelmæssig — in grammar, applied to words
  • Dutch: onregelmatig — in grammar, applied to words
  • Finnish: epäsäännöllinen — in grammar, applied to words
  • Finnish: säännötön — in grammar, applied to words
  • French: irrégulier — in grammar, applied to words
  • German: unregelmäßig — in grammar, applied to words
  • Greek: ανώμαλος (anómalos) — in grammar, applied to words
  • Ancient Greek: ἀνώμαλος (anṓmalos) — in grammar, applied to words
  • Hungarian: rendhagyó — in grammar, applied to words
  • Icelandic: óreglulegur — in grammar, applied to words
  • Irish: neamhrialta — in grammar, applied to words
  • Irish: mírialta — in grammar, applied to words
  • Italian: irregolare — in grammar, applied to words
  • Japanese: 不規則な (fukisoku na) — in grammar, applied to words
  • Korean: 불규칙하다 (bulgyuchikhada) — in grammar, applied to words
  • Latin: anomalus — in grammar, applied to words
  • Macedonian: неправилен (nepravilen) — in grammar, applied to words
  • Norman: irrédgulyi — in grammar, applied to words
  • Norwegian Bokmål: uregelrett — in grammar, applied to words
  • Norwegian Bokmål: uregelmessig — in grammar, applied to words
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: uregelrett — in grammar, applied to words
  • Polish: nieregularny — in grammar, applied to words
  • Portuguese: irregular — in grammar, applied to words
  • Romanian: neregulat — in grammar, applied to words
  • Russian: непра́вильный (neprávilʹnyj) — in grammar, applied to words
  • Serbo-Croatian: не̏правӣлан — in grammar, applied to words
  • Serbo-Croatian: nȅpravīlan — in grammar, applied to words
  • Slovak: nepravidelný — in grammar, applied to words
  • Slovene: nepravilen — in grammar, applied to words
  • Spanish: irregular — in grammar, applied to words
  • Swedish: oregelbunden — in grammar, applied to words
  • Turkish: düzensiz — in grammar, applied to words
  • Ukrainian: непра́вильний (neprávylʹnyj) — in grammar, applied to words
  • Armenian: անկանոն (ankanon) — lacking uniformity
  • Bulgarian: неравноме́рен (neravnoméren) — lacking uniformity
  • French: irrégulier — lacking uniformity
  • Greek: ασύμμετρος (asýmmetros) — lacking uniformity
  • Hindi: अनियमित (aniymit) — lacking uniformity
  • Hungarian: rendszertelen — lacking uniformity
  • Japanese: 不揃いの (fuzoroi no) — lacking uniformity
  • Japanese: 不同の (fudō no) — lacking uniformity
  • Māori: kōiheihe — lacking uniformity
  • Māori: tipihori — lacking uniformity
  • Māori: tipirori — lacking uniformity
  • Māori: tipitaha — lacking uniformity
  • Māori: whakarangirua — lacking uniformity
  • Māori: kōhikohiko — lacking uniformity
  • Māori: whakahipahipa — lacking uniformity
  • Māori: karawhiti — lacking uniformity
  • Māori: kōngunungunu — lacking uniformity
  • Māori: hikuwaru — lacking uniformity
  • Māori: tōroherohe — lacking uniformity
  • Norwegian Bokmål: uregelmessig — lacking uniformity
  • Norwegian Bokmål: uregelrett — lacking uniformity
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: uregelmessig — lacking uniformity
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: uregelrett — lacking uniformity
  • Portuguese: irregular — lacking uniformity
  • Portuguese: desigual — lacking uniformity
  • Portuguese: assimétrico — lacking uniformity
  • Russian: неравноме́рный (neravnomérnyj) — lacking uniformity
  • Spanish: irregular — lacking uniformity
  • Spanish: arrítmico — lacking uniformity
  • French: irrégulier — soldier
  • Greek: άτακτος (átaktos) — soldier
  • Ancient Greek: ἀσύντακτος (asúntaktos) — soldier
  • Ottoman Turkish: لوند (levend) — soldier
Real reading context

irregular in complete knowledge articles