Wordwyrt

intersperse

/ˌɪntəsˈpɜːs/in-tur-SPURS
/ˌɪntɚsˈpɝs/in-tur-SPURS

Meaningto scatter among

Common meaning: to scatter among

‘between, among’ + ‘to scatter, sprinkle’ → intersperse

Journey through time

  1. Latinspargō, sparsum‘to scatter, sprinkle’
  2. Englishintersperse‘to scatter among’ · today

inter- also in: interactinterfaceintersectinterveneintercostal

spers also in: sparsedisperseaspersion

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin spargō ‘to scatter, sprinkle’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry spargō, p. 1734 · dictionary scan

Roots

Related words

aspersiondispersesparse

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