Oc‐ca″sion‐al (?), a. [Cf. F. occasionnel.] 1. Of or pertaining to an occasion or to occasions; occuring at times, but not constant, regular, or systematic; made or happening as opportunity requires or admits; casual; incidental; as, occasional remarks, or efforts.
The... occasional writing of the present times. Bagehot.
2. Produced by accident; as, the occasional origin of a thing. Sir T. Browne.
Occasional cause(Metaph.), some circumstance preceding an effect which, without being the real cause, becomes the occasion of the action of the efficient cause; thus, the act of touching gunpowder with fire is the occasional, but not the efficient, cause of an explosion.