Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To distribute among other things at intervals.
  • transitive verb To supply or diversify with things distributed at intervals.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To scatter between; place here and there among other things: as, to intersperse shrubs among trees.
  • To diversify by scattering or disposing various objects here and there.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To scatter or set here and there among other things; to insert at intervals.
  • transitive verb To diversify or adorn with things set or scattered at intervals; to place something at intervals in or among.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb To mix two things irregularly, placing things of one kind among things of other:

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb place at intervals in or among
  • verb introduce one's writing or speech with certain expressions

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From Latin interspergere, interspers- : inter-, inter- + spargere, to scatter.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin interspersus.

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Examples

  • The drums are playing wildly while shrieks of joyous, wild delight intersperse the melodic lines that are ecstatically woven into the fabric of this Kalahari jazzfest.

    The Bushman Way of Tracking God PhD Bradford Keeney 2010

  • Our art collection has some highly conceptual, cerebral pieces that are thought-provoking and intense, so I like to intersperse those works with gorgeous images that make me smile when I look at them.

    Meredith Barnett: Fall For Art, Affordably Meredith Barnett 2011

  • This holiday season, intersperse these kinds of meals and the inevitable "what's for dinner?" won't send you down the fast food or takeout path.

    Monica Strawbridge: Meals for the Holiday Rush Monica Strawbridge 2011

  • I intersperse this with discussion portions where everyone involved can expand on the activities or question them.

    N is for Native-speakerism « An A-Z of ELT 2010

  • I think what is most interesting about “Triptych” are the symbolic metaphors, doppelgangers and other worldly dimensions that intersperse throughout the cinematic reality we see.

    Current Movie Reviews, Independent Movies - Film Threat 2010

  • Our art collection has some highly conceptual, cerebral pieces that are thought-provoking and intense, so I like to intersperse those works with gorgeous images that make me smile when I look at them.

    Meredith Barnett: Fall For Art, Affordably Meredith Barnett 2011

  • Judge Wanger divided the case into smaller trials, which would allow him to intersperse those hearings with other ongoing cases.

    Criminal Case Glut Impedes Civil Suits Gary Fields 2011

  • Our art collection has some highly conceptual, cerebral pieces that are thought-provoking and intense, so I like to intersperse those works with gorgeous images that make me smile when I look at them.

    Meredith Barnett: Fall For Art, Affordably Meredith Barnett 2011

  • I was a perpetual NPR listener in my previous life, and now I am more likely to intersperse silence and music on college radio.

    Sasha Cagen: How Long-Term Travel Turned Me Into A Minimalist Sasha Cagen 2011

  • Our art collection has some highly conceptual, cerebral pieces that are thought-provoking and intense, so I like to intersperse those works with gorgeous images that make me smile when I look at them.

    Meredith Barnett: Fall For Art, Affordably Meredith Barnett 2011

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