nomadic

adjective

no·​mad·​ic nō-ˈma-dik How to pronounce nomadic (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of nomads
a nomadic tribe
nomadic herders
2
: roaming about from place to place aimlessly, frequently, or without a fixed pattern of movement
a nomadic hobo

Examples of nomadic in a Sentence

raised in a nomadic family, she attended half a dozen different high schools
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
One hypothesis as to how the fossils ended up there is that seasonal nomadic livestock herders traded meat and goods such as fossils with local inhabitants, in exchange for use of their land. Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 24 June 2025 Seed, who followed her parents’ career paths as a photographer, also discovered a trove of her mother’s own photographs, revealing a distinctive, clear-eyed aesthetic and a nomadic itch. Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2025 For centuries, this tick was an occasional nuisance to nomadic shepherds of the Middle East. Sean Lawrence, The Conversation, 18 June 2025 Part of the Beyond Green collection, the property was founded on a vision of preserving the land, wildlife, and nomadic culture and traditions of Mongolia’s people. Chloe Berge, Outside Online, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for nomadic

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Greek nomadikós "of a shepherd or herdsman, pastoral," from nomad-, nomás "wanderer, shepherd, nomad" + -ikos -ic entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1818, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nomadic was circa 1818

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nomadic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nomadic. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on nomadic

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!