adj · noun · 8 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.
/əˈkeɪʒ(ə)nəl/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:AH0 K EY1 ZH AH0 N AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Occurring or appearing irregularly from time to time, but not often; incidental.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
He was mostly solitary, but enjoyed the occasional visitor.
He took an occasional glass of wine.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: odd
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Created for a specific occasion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Elgar's music was not created to be occasional music for high-school graduations.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Intended for use as the occasion requires.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
What your living room needs are some occasional chairs.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Acting in the indicated role from time to time.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
He is an occasional writer of letters to the editor.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A person who does something only occasionally.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adjective satellite
Meaning 6
recurring or reappearing from time to time
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
periodic feelings of anxiety
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: periodic
Antonyms: none provided
7
adjective satellite
Meaning 7
occurring or appearing at usually irregular intervals
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
episodic in his affections
occasional headaches
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: episodic
Antonyms: none provided
8
adjective satellite
Meaning 8
occurring from time to time
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
casual employment
a casual correspondence with a former teacher
an occasional worker
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: casual
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English occasyonal, from Medieval Latin occāsiōnālis and Old French ocasionel. By surface analysis, occasion + -al.
Across languages
Translations
46 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
عَرَضِيّ
(ʕaraḍiyy)
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Bulgarian:
случаен
(slučaen)
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Bulgarian:
нередовен
(neredoven)
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Catalan:
ocasional
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Chinese Mandarin:
偶然
(ǒurán)
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Chinese Mandarin:
偶爾 /偶尔
(ǒu'ěr)
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Cornish:
treweythus
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Czech:
příležitostný
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Czech:
občasný
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Dutch:
toevallig
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Dutch:
nu en dan
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Dutch:
af en toe
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Dutch:
indicenteel
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Dutch:
occasioneel
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Finnish:
satunnainen
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
French:
occasionnel
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
German:
gelegentlich
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
German:
okkasionell
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Hungarian:
alkalmi
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Hungarian:
esetenkénti
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Hungarian:
alkalmankénti
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Irish:
ócáideach
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Italian:
occasionale
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Japanese:
時折の
(tokiori no)
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Japanese:
偶発的
(gūhatsuteki)
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Japanese:
偶
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Japanese:
偶然な
(gūzen na)
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Korean:
가끔하는
(gakkeumhaneun)
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Maltese:
okkażjonali
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Manx:
keayrtagh
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Polish:
okazjonalny
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Polish:
przypadkowy
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Polish:
rzadki
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Polish:
sporadyczny
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Portuguese:
ocasional
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Romanian:
ocazional
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Russian:
случа́йный
(slučájnyj)
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Russian:
ре́дкий
(rédkij)
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Scottish Gaelic:
corra
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Slovak:
príležitostný
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Slovak:
občasný
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Spanish:
ocasional
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Spanish:
esporádico
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Swedish:
ockasionell
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Swedish:
an adverb is most often used instead.
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
Welsh:
achlysurol
— limited to certain occasions; not very often
