intersperse

Etymology

From Latin interspersus.

Pronunciation

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Verb

intersperse (third-person singular simple present intersperses, present participle interspersing, simple past and past participle interspersed)

1. To mix two things irregularly, placing things of one kind among things of other:
   • 1991, Frank Biocca, Television and Political Advertising: Signs, codes, and images, page 76:

     For example, a commercial sequence might intersperse pictures of a senator working in his office with shots of ordinary Americans happily working in various walks of life.

   1. (transitive) To scatter or insert something into or among other things.
      • 1985, Jane Y. Murdock, Barbara V. Hartmann, Communication and language intervention program (CLIP) for individuals with moderate to severe handicaps, page 46:

        Review tasks are particularly useful to intersperse when students are experiencing considerable failure.

      Mother Nature interspersed a few dandelions among the petunias, but it was a pretty garden, anyway.

   2. (transitive) To diversify by placing or inserting other things among something.

      Mother Nature interspersed the petunias with a few dandelions, but it was a pretty garden, anyway.

References

• intersperse in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• intersperse in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Anagrams

• enterprises, entreprises, serpentries