See Also: spontaneous(dictionary)
SPONTANEOUS(medicine)
spontaneous(dictionary)
spontaneous emission(medicine)
spontaneous evolution(medicine)
spontaneous fracture(medicine)
spontaneous version(medicine)
spontaneous transformation(medicine)
spontaneous mutation(medicine)
spontaneous osteolysis(medicine)

spontaneous (iou)



spontaneous adjective & adverb. M17.
[from late Latin spontaneus, from Latin (sua) sponte of (one's) own accord: see -OUS.]
A. adjective.
Performed or occurring without external cause or stimulus; coming naturally or freely, unpremeditated; voluntary, done of one's own accord; (of literary style etc.) gracefully natural and unconstrained. M17.
J. London Stories and poems were springing into spontaneous creation in his brain. G. Gordon Edward clapped his hands briskly,..a spontaneous gesture. W. F. Buckley The applause was spontaneous, even heartfelt. D. Madden When they met for the first time it was with spontaneous and mutual antipathy.
b. Of a person: acting voluntarily or without premeditation; tending to act in this way; unconstrained, uninhibited, natural. M18.
W. Cather She was not as spontaneous and frank as she used to be. M. Spufford You are..less spontaneous with your children if..observed.
(Of movement or activity in an organism) instinctive, prompted by no motive; (of sudden movement etc.) involuntary, not due to conscious volition. M17.
Of a natural process: occurring without apparent external cause; having a self-contained cause or origin. M17.
spontaneous combustion the ignition or burning away of a substance or body as a result of heat engendered within itself, usu. by rapid oxidation.
Growing or produced naturally without cultivation or labour. M17.
spontaneous generation History of Science the supposed development of living organisms without the agency of pre-existing living matter, as of micro-organisms in water.
b. Produced, developed, or coming into existence by natural processes or changes. M18.
b. adverb. Spontaneously. poet. M17.
spontaneously adverb M17.
spontaneousness noun M17.