'sporadically-gathered' originates from the combination of 'sporadic,' which comes from the Greek word 'sporadikos,' meaning 'scattered,' and 'gathered,' from Old English 'gadrian,' meaning 'to bring together.'

'sporadic' evolved from the Greek 'sporadikos' to the modern English 'sporadic,' while 'gathered' transformed from Old English 'gadrian' to the modern English 'gather.'

Initially, 'sporadic' meant 'scattered or dispersed,' and 'gathered' meant 'brought together.' The combination implies an irregular collection.