irregular
adjective
- contrary, unusual
noun
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L322737 on Wikidata ↗Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ɪˈɹɛɡ.jʊ.lə/ / /ɪˈɹɛɡ.jə.lɚ/ / /ɪˈɹeɡ.jə.lə/
adj
Etymology: From Middle English irreguler, from Old French irreguler, from Medieval Latin or Late Latin irrēgulāris, from in- + regularis, equivalent to ir- + regular.
- Nonstandard; not conforming to rules or expectations.
“‘ “It would be most irregular Grandpa!” says Miss Cecily frowning and tapping her foot. “Well, we’re a pretty irregular family so that’s neither here nor there,” says the old man, impish like. [...] ’”
- Of a surface, rough.
- Without symmetry, regularity, or uniformity.
“The hovel stood in the centre of what had once been a vegetable garden, but was now a patch of rank weeds. Surrounding this, almost like a zareba, was an irregular ring of gorse and brambles, an unclaimed vestige of the original common.”
“Near by, where the crystal clear River Llugwy is crossed by a bridge, stands a small and ancient church built of massive, irregular boulders.”
- Of a polygon, not regular; having sides that are not equal or angles that are not equal.
- Of a polyhedron, whose faces are not all regular polygons (or are not equally inclined to each other).
- Of a word, not following the regular or expected patterns of inflection in a given language.
“"Calves", "cacti", and "children" are irregular plurals.”
“"To buy" is an irregular English verb: its past simple and past participle tense is "bought".”
noun
Etymology: From Middle English irreguler, from Old French irreguler, from Medieval Latin or Late Latin irrēgulāris, from in- + regularis, equivalent to ir- + regular.
- A soldier who is not a member of an official military force and who may not use regular army tactics.
- One who does not regularly attend a venue.
“There's one neighborhood tavern where the regulars and irregulars go after a hard day to unlax and rewind, throw back a few, and just hang out - you know the one.”