# occasional

> English word · Adjective · IPA /əˈkeɪʒ(ə)nəl/ · frequency rank #5,896

## Definitions
1. Occurring or appearing irregularly from time to time, but not often; incidental.
2. Created for a specific occasion.
3. Intended for use as the occasion requires.
4. Acting in the indicated role from time to time.

## Etymology
From Middle English occasyonal, from Medieval Latin occāsiōnālis and Old French ocasionel. By surface analysis, occasion + -al.

## Easily confused with
- **occasions** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/occasional-vs-occasions)
- **occasioned** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/occasional-vs-occasioned)
- **occasionally** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/occasional-vs-occasionally)
- **occasion** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/occasion-vs-occasional)

## Common misspellings (12)
`cocasional`, `ocacsional`, `ocasional`, `occaisonal`, `occasinoal`, `occasioanl`, `occasionall`, `occasionla`, `occasionnal`, `occasoinal`, `occassional`, `occsaional`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/occasional