Meaning & use
nomadic
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Meanings
adjectivenot comparable
moving from place to place rather than living in one fixed location.
Grammar: Usually describes a way of life or a group of people; it is not normally used with 'very' or in comparisons.
Patterns
- nomadic people
- a nomadic lifestyle
- nomadic tribes
The nomadic herders travel with their animals across the steppe.
She gave up a nomadic lifestyle and bought a small house.
Nomadic communities often follow the seasons in search of water and grass.
adjectivenot comparablefigurative
moving often from one job, home, or place to another without staying long.
Grammar: Used figuratively about modern life, especially work and travel.
Patterns
- a nomadic existence
- nomadic career
After ten years of nomadic working, he finally took a permanent job.
Her nomadic childhood meant she changed schools almost every year.
Common combinations
- nomadic tribe
- The documentary follows a nomadic tribe in the desert.
- nomadic lifestyle
- He enjoys the freedom of a nomadic lifestyle.
- nomadic people
- Nomadic people move their camps several times a year.
- nomadic existence
- Living out of a suitcase gave her a nomadic existence.
- nomadic herders
- Nomadic herders depend on their animals for food and income.
Synonyms and how they differ
- wandering
- 'Wandering' suggests moving without a clear purpose or route; 'nomadic' suggests a regular way of life based on moving.
- roaming
- 'Roaming' often describes animals or people moving freely over an area, while 'nomadic' describes a whole culture or habit of movement.
- itinerant
- 'Itinerant' is more formal and often used for workers who travel from place to place for jobs.
Opposites
Word family
- nomad noun
- a person who moves from place to place rather than living in one place
- nomadism noun
- the practice of moving from place to place instead of settling
- nomadically adverb
- in a way that involves moving from place to place
Commonly confused: nomadic or nomad?
nomadic vs nomad
'Nomad' is the person (a noun), while 'nomadic' is the adjective describing the person or their way of life.
Practice
The Berbers were traditionally ___ people who moved with their herds.
Choose one answer.
The blank is before the noun 'people', so an adjective is needed: 'nomadic'. 'Nomad' is a noun and would need a different structure, such as 'were nomads'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “nomadic”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.