aleatory
[ey-lee-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, al-ee-]
adjective
Law. depending on a contingent event: an aleatory contract.
of or relating to accidental causes; of luck or chance; unpredictable: an aleatory element.
Music. employing the element of chance in the choice of tones, rests, durations, rhythms, dynamics, etc.
RELATED WORDS
unintended, unexpected, accidental, impromptu, random, unintentional, haphazard, spontaneous, adventitious, fortuitous, undesigned
Nearby words
- aldus manutius,
- ale,
- ale conner,
- alea,
- aleardi,
- alebion,
- alec,
- alecithal,
- aleck,
- alecost
Also a·le·a·tor·ic [ey-lee-uh-tawr-ik, -tor-, al-ee-] /ˌeɪ li əˈtɔr ɪk, -ˈtɒr-, ˌæl i-/.
Origin of aleatory
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for aleatory
aleatory
aleatoric (ˌeɪlɪəˈtɒrɪk)
adjective
Word Origin for aleatory
C17: from Latin āleātōrius, from āleātor gambler, from ālea game of chance, dice, of uncertain origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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aleatory
"of uncertain outcome," literally "depending on the throw of a die," 1690s, from Latin aleatorius "pertaining to a gamester," from aleator "a dice player," from alea "a game with dice; chance, hazard, risk; a die, the dice;" perhaps literally "a joint-bone, a pivot-bone," and related to axis.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper