spontaneous

Everyday

1. Spontaneous means happening or done suddenly, without being planned. tree →
2. A spontaneous person often does things on the spur of the moment, naturally and freely. tree →
3. (science) Spontaneous describes something that happens by itself without being caused from outside, like spontaneous combustion. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life spontaneous fun is not planned: a spontaneous trip to the beach. In stories it shows a character is lively and free, or a crowd reacts naturally (spontaneous applause). In science «spontaneous» means happening on its own. Phrases: spontaneous applause, a spontaneous decision, spontaneous combustion.

Examples

• The crowd burst into spontaneous applause. tree →
• We made a spontaneous trip to the park. tree →
• Her laugh was warm and spontaneous. tree →
• He is spontaneous and always has new ideas. tree →
• The hug was spontaneous, not planned. tree →
• Piles of wet hay can catch fire by spontaneous combustion. tree →
• Our teacher likes spontaneous questions in class. tree →

Note

Spelled -taneous: spon-TAY-nee-us. Opposite: planned, deliberate, rehearsed. Myth: «spontaneous human combustion» (people bursting into flames by themselves) is not supported by science.