cathemeral

C3A1T1H4E1M3E1R1A1L1
/kəˈθɛməɹəl/

adjective

Relating to organisms' behaviour in which food is acquired at random intervals during the day or night.

OriginEnglish hemeral ← Ancient Greek ἡμέρα (hēméra) ← Proto-Hellenic *ā́mər →
Scrabble 17
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Meanings

adjectivecathemeral (comparative more cathemeral, superlative most cathemeral)

comparative more cathemeral · superlative most cathemeral

  1. biologyRelating to organisms' behaviour in which food is acquired at random intervals during the day or night.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
  3. Proto-Indo-European*ḱm̥-th₂der.?
  4. Proto-Hellenic*kətá
  5. Ancient Greekκᾰτᾰ́ (kătắ)
  6. Ancient Greekκᾰτᾰ- (kătă-)
  7. Englishcata-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*Héh₂mr̥
  9. Proto-Hellenic*ā́mər
  10. Ancient Greekἦμαρ (êmar)
  11. Ancient Greekἡμέρα (hēméra)
  12. Englishhemeral
  13. Englishcathemeral

From cata- + hemeral.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

cathemeral. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cathemeral

MLA

“cathemeral.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cathemeral. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cathemeral,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cathemeral.

Source: cathemeral on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.