nomadic

N1O1M3A1D2I1C3
UK/nəʊˈmæd.ɪk/Canada, US/noʊˈmæd.ɪk/Australia/nəʉˈmæd.ɪk/Australia/nɐʉˈmæd.ɪk/

adjective

Of or related to itinerant herdsmen.

Meanings

adjectivenomadic (comparative more nomadic, superlative most nomadic)

comparative more nomadic · superlative most nomadic · alternative obsolete nomadick

  1. Of or relating to nomads.
    1. anthropologyOf or related to itinerant herdsmen.

      For centuries, the nomadic tribes of Central Asia used colorful textiles called suzanis as seating, prayer mats, bedding and dividers in their yurts – the traditional tents that were their homes.

      2024 December 19, Amy Gunia, “Young Uzbeks are finding new markets for traditional handicrafts online”, in CNN Business

      Synonyms: pastoral

    2. figurativelyOf or related to any habitually wandering person or animal.

      Neither vehicle has a set home base. Young explains: "They are 'nomadic' nationally employed assets that, rather than having a regular home depot, are generally deployed and maintained following a programme of works across the full network.

      2022 September 7, Tom Allett, “At the cutting edge of NR's track work”, in RAIL, number 965, page 40
      1 more example

      Many of these classic methods are still used, with some modern improvements. For example, with the aid of special microphones and automated sound detection software, ornithologists recently reported […] that pine siskins (Spinus pinus) undergo an irregular, nomadic type of nocturnal migration.

      2013 January 1, Paul Bartel, Ashli Moore, “Avian Migration: The Ultimate Red-Eye Flight”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 1, archived from the original on 05 Mar 2016, pages 47–48

      Synonyms: nomad, wandering, peripatetic, itinerant, itinerate, unsettled, vagabond, roving

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveOf or related to itinerant herdsmen.

Similar

More synonyms by meaning

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekνομαδικός
  2. Englishnomadic

From Ancient Greek νομαδικός (nomadikós), equivalent to nomad (“a member of a society or class of herdsmen”) + -ic (forming adjectives).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic بَدَوِيّ, جَوَّال
  • بَدَوِيّ (badawiyy)of or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • جَوَّال (jawwāl)of or relating to any habitually wandering person
  • رَحَّال (raḥḥāl)of or relating to any habitually wandering person
  • مُتَنَقِّل (mutanaqqil)of or relating to any habitually wandering person
Bulgarian нома́дски, ски́тнически
  • нома́дски (nomádski)of or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • ски́тнически (skítničeski)of or relating to any habitually wandering person
Catalan nòmada, nòmada
  • nòmadaof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • nòmadaof or relating to any habitually wandering person
Chinese Mandarin 游牧
  • 游牧 (yóumù)of or relating to itinerant herdsmen
Czech nomádský, kočovný
  • nomádskýof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • kočovnýof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • nomádskýof or relating to any habitually wandering person
  • kočovnýof or relating to any habitually wandering person
Danish nomadisk
  • nomadiskof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
Dutch nomadisch
  • nomadischof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
Esperanto nomada
  • nomadaof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
Finnish paimentolais-, kiertelevä
  • paimentolais-of or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • kierteleväof or relating to any habitually wandering person
  • liikkuvaof or relating to any habitually wandering person
French nomade, nomade
  • nomadeof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • nomadeof or relating to any habitually wandering person
German nomadisch, Nomaden-
  • nomadischof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • Nomaden-of or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • nomadischof or relating to any habitually wandering person
Hungarian nomád
  • nomádof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
Italian nomade
  • nomadeof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
Lithuanian klajokliškas
  • klajokliškasof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
Māori kānekeneke, kōkewa
  • kānekenekeof or relating to any habitually wandering person
  • kōkewaof or relating to any habitually wandering person
Norwegian Bokmål nomadisk
  • nomadiskof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
Polish koczowniczy, wędrowny
  • koczowniczyof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • wędrownyof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • nomadycznyof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • koczowniczyof or relating to any habitually wandering person
  • nomadycznyof or relating to any habitually wandering person
Portuguese nómada, nômade
  • nómadaof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • nômadeof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • nomádicoof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • nómadaof or relating to any habitually wandering person
  • nômadeof or relating to any habitually wandering person
  • nomádicoof or relating to any habitually wandering person
Russian кочево́й, коче́внический
  • кочево́й (kočevój)of or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • коче́внический (kočévničeskij)of or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • кочево́й (kočevój)of or relating to any habitually wandering person
  • кочу́ющий (kočújuščij)of or relating to any habitually wandering person
Slovak nomádsky, kočovný
  • nomádskyof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • kočovnýof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • kočovníckyof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
Spanish nómada, nómade
  • nómadaof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • nómadeof or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • nómadaof or relating to any habitually wandering person
  • nómadeof or relating to any habitually wandering person
  • nomádicoof or relating to any habitually wandering person
Ukrainian кочови́й, мандрі́вний
  • кочови́й (kočovýj)of or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • мандрі́вний (mandrívnyj)of or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • мандрівни́й (mandrivnýj)of or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • кочівни́й (kočivnýj)of or relating to itinerant herdsmen
  • кочівни́цький (kočivnýcʹkyj)of or relating to itinerant herdsmen

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with nomadic

All rhymes →

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

nomadic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nomadic

MLA

“nomadic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nomadic. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nomadic,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nomadic.

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