What does irregular mean?
Irregular describes something that does not follow a regular pattern. It may refer to uneven intervals or arrangement, departures from established conventions, exceptional circumstances, or units that are not part of the standard military organization. For example, an irregular verb does not form its past tense by adding -ed, while an irregular schedule follows a pattern that cannot be predicted easily. The word can be mildly negative when it suggests disorder or deviation, but it can also be neutral or technical when it identifies a recognized category. In everyday use, it often means that something is unusual, uneven, or unreliable, though the exact implication depends on the context. The related adverb is irregularly, and the noun is irregularity.
adjectiveNot regular in occurrence, arrangement, shape, or behaviour; departing from an established pattern or rule. It can also describe someone or something that is irregular in status, course, or development, such as an irregular employment arrangement or an irregular military unit.
- Not occurring at regular intervals or following a consistent pattern.
- Not symmetrical, even, or uniform in shape or arrangement.
- Departing from established rules, conventions, or normal procedures.
- Not belonging to the regular armed forces or to a standard military unit.
"The irregular rhythm of the music made the dancers lose their sense of timing."
"The machine makes an irregular noise whenever the temperature rises."
"Because her employment is irregular, she has no guaranteed paid holiday."
An irregular verb is one that refuses to follow the usual pattern, much as an irregular schedule refuses to follow the clock.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of irregular
Irregular comes through French from the Latin adjective irregularis, meaning “not according to the rule” or “not regular.” The word belongs to the same Latin family as regular, regularity, and regularize. Its English sense originally covered departures from rules and regular arrangements, and it later developed into specialized uses in grammar, law, military organization, and other technical fields.
Related word forms
How irregular is actually used
The word is relatively formal in general use but common in educational, legal, military, and workplace contexts. In grammar, an irregular verb is one that does not form its past tense and past participle by the usual rules.
Easily confused with irregular
Irregular describes something that follows no consistent pattern, whereas irritable describes a person who is easily annoyed or provoked.