nomadic

Definitions

From Greek nomas (one who wanders for pasture), itself from nemein 'to put out to graze, to distribute.' A nomad is literally someone who parcels out grazing land by moving across it — so this 'wandering' sense is a cousin of the 'law/management' family, both growing from the original idea of apportioning land.

Why It Means This

Nomadic looks unrelated to economy or astronomy, but they share the same Greek seed. The verb nemein meant 'to distribute' — including putting animals out onto apportioned grazing land. From that came nomas, 'a wanderer after pasture.' So while economy and autonomy took the 'management/law' branch, nomadic took the 'distributing land by grazing' branch. The link is the act of dividing up land.

Common Collocations

• 1.nomadic lifestyle游牧生活方式
• 2.nomadic tribe游牧部落
• 3.nomadic herders游牧牧民
• 4.nomadic people游牧民族

Example Sentences

• 1.

  Nomadic herders move their flocks across the steppe each season.

• 2.

  He led a nomadic life, never staying anywhere more than a month.

• 3.

  Many remote workers have adopted a nomadic lifestyle.