Webster's English Dictionary

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intermittent

in.ter.mit.tent \-*nt\ aj [L intermittent-, intermittens, prp. of 
   intermittere] : coming and going at intervals  mean occurring or appearing 
   in interrupted sequence. INTERMITTENT stresses breaks in continuity; 
   RECURRENT stresses repetition; PERIODIC implies recurrence at essentially 
   regular intervals; ALTERNATE may apply to two contrasting things appearing 
   repeatedly one after the other {alternate hope and despair} or to every 
   second member of a series {meet on alternate Tuesdays} - in.ter.mit.tent.ly 
   av SYN syn INTERMITTENT, RECURRENT, PERIODIC, ALTERNATE