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intersperse

UK/ˌɪntəˈspɜːs/US/ˌɪntɚˈspɝs/
verbC2Rare in speech; mostly a word you read · #15,077 of 15,258Too rare in one of the two pools to compare — fewer than 20 uses in speech or in writing

Other forms: interspersed, interspersing, intersperses

To intersperse is to scatter things at intervals among others. Interspersed with photographs, intersperse the text, interspersed throughout.

It is used almost entirely in the past participle, in the form interspersed with, and it implies a deliberate mixing rather than a random one. Text interspersed with pictures is broken up on purpose so that the reader keeps going.

Definitions of intersperse

  1. 1verbintersperseTo scatter things at intervals among others.C2

    “The speaker interspersed her serious talk with funny stories.”

intersperse is a scattering.

Where it comes from

Latin interspergere means to scatter between — inter, between, plus spargere, to scatter. Sprinkle is a relative.

  1. Latin

    interspergō

  2. English, today

    intersperse

From Latin interspergō.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practised in A Song of Ice and Fire

Practise this word

intersperse in the wild

  • Often, the guitarist will play the melody notes, interspersed with the melody's accompanying chords and the deep bassline (or bass notes) simultaneously.

    Fingerstyle guitar

  • Each week centers on a topic of discussion with invited guests and an interview with a Duke-of-the-week, intersperse with lifestyle & travel features.

    The Duke (talk show)

  • Electronic music with six rhythmic sequencer-based tracks intersperse with ambient zones and soaring electric guitar textures.

    The Road Eternal

  • Trump and Kiyosaki intersperse financial lessons with personal anecdotes from their respective careers.

    Midas Touch (book)

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.