spontaneous
pronunciation
How to pronounce spontaneous in British English:
UK [spɒnˈteɪniəs]
How to pronounce spontaneous in American English:
US [spɑːnˈteɪniəs]
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- Adjective:
- happening or arising without apparent external cause
- said or done without having been planned or written in advance
- produced without being planted or without human labor
Word Origin
- spontaneous (adj.)
- 1650s, "occurring without external stimulus," from Late Latin spontaneus "willing, of one's free will," from Latin (sua) sponte "of one's own accord, willingly;" of uncertain origin. Related: Spontaneously; spontaneousness. Used earlier of persons and characters, with a sense "acting of one's own accord" (c. 1200). Spontaneous combustion first attested 1795. Spontaneous generation (the phrase, not the feat) attested from 1650s.
Synonym
Antonym
Example
- 1. Below the pagoda a spontaneous , medieval army was massing .
- 2. What they lack is a sense of spontaneous fun .
- 3. Chatroulette also spawned a number of clones as the idea of random , spontaneous encounters became popular .
- 4. Spontaneous detours are sometimes similarly frustrated .
- 5. Few could remember such spontaneous charity .