spontaneous

adjective

spahn-TAY-nee-uhs/spɑnˈteɪ.ni.əs/UKspon-TAY-nee-uhs/spɒnˈteɪ.ni.əs/

7 meanings of spontaneous

1
on impulseadjective
Done because you chose to, or done suddenly without planning it first.
On Friday night we had a spontaneous party in the kitchen.
Nobody asked him to help, so it was his own spontaneous choice.
Similarimpulsive, unplanned, impromptu, voluntary, unprompted
Oppositeplanned, premeditated
2
natural feelingadjective
Coming naturally from your feelings, without being forced or held back.
Her spontaneous laugh made the whole room smile.
Little kids have a spontaneous love of music and dancing.
Similarnatural, instinctive, unforced, genuine, uninhibited
Oppositeforced, contrived, studied, affected
3
no outside causeadjective
Happening by itself, with no clear cause from outside.
The doctor said the bleeding was spontaneous because there was no cut or bump to cause it.
The fire was spontaneous: the wet hay got hot and started burning by itself.
Similarautonomous
Oppositeinduced
4
not scriptedadjective
Said or done without planning it or writing it down first.
She put away her notes and gave a spontaneous speech.
The actor's spontaneous joke wasn't in the script, but the audience loved it.
Similarsudden, unwritten, abrupt
Oppositeplanned, prepared, scripted, rehearsed
5
self-movingadjective
Moving or acting by itself, controlled from inside, the way living things do.
The tiny worm made spontaneous movements, twisting and turning on its own.
Even while asleep, the puppy made spontaneous little twitches and kicks.
Similarautonomous
Oppositeinduced
6
growing wildadjective
Growing on its own, without being planted or cared for by people.
Nobody planted these flowers. They are spontaneous growth from seeds the wind carried.
The old farm is now full of spontaneous trees and bushes that no one looks after.
Similarwild
Oppositecultivated

Less common meaning

7
adjective
Sudden, without warning.

Practice

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Origin

From the Late Latin word spontāneus.