SPONTANEOUS
Dictionary entry overview: What does spontaneous mean?
• SPONTANEOUS (adjective)
The adjective SPONTANEOUS has 2 senses:
1. happening or arising without apparent external cause
2. said or done without having been planned or written in advance
Familiarity information: SPONTANEOUS used as an adjective is rare.
Dictionary entry details
• SPONTANEOUS (adjective)
Meaning:
Happening or arising without apparent external cause
Synonyms:
self-generated; spontaneous
Context examples:
spontaneous laughter / spontaneous combustion / a spontaneous abortion
Similar:
impulsive; unprompted (proceeding from natural feeling or impulse without external stimulus)
intuitive (spontaneously derived from or prompted by a natural tendency)
instinctive; natural (unthinking; prompted by (or as if by) instinct)
Antonym:
induced (brought about or caused; not spontaneous)
Meaning:
Said or done without having been planned or written in advance
Synonyms:
ad-lib; spontaneous; unwritten
Context example:
he made a few ad-lib remarks
Similar:
unscripted (not furnished with or using a script)
