seldom — not often; rarely
Part of speech: ADVERB
Definition: not often; rarely
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈseldəm/
Example Sentences
- My dad seldom admits he's wrong, but when he does, we throw a party!
- She seldom checks her email, which explains why she missed the zombie apocalypse warning.
- Students seldom complain about having too much free time.
seldom
ADVERB[/ˈseldəm/]
not often; rarely
The notoriously strict chef seldom smiled, so his sudden grin shocked the entire kitchen staff.
SELL(trade) + DOME(glass roof) — merchants trapped under the abandoned glass dome seldom sell their goods.
To escape the office boredom, he slammed a random red button—a reckless action he seldom took.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Seldom derives from Old English 'seldan', which evolved from Germanic language roots meaning 'rare' or 'strange'. The word originally referred to occasions that were uncommon or extraordinary, gradually shifting to mean 'infrequently' or 'rarely' in modern English.
Breakdown
seldan (rare, strange) + -om (adverbial suffix) → seldom (rarely, infrequently). The adverbial ending transformed the adjective into an adverb expressing infrequent occurrence.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My dad seldom admits he's wrong, but when he does, we throw a party!”
“She seldom checks her email, which explains why she missed the zombie apocalypse warning.”
“Students seldom complain about having too much free time.”
“He seldom speaks in public, but when he does, everyone listens.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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