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arbitrary
[ ahr-bi-trer-ee ]
/ ĖÉr bÉŖĖtrÉr i /
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This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
adjective
subject to individual will or judgment without restriction; contingent solely upon one's discretion: an arbitrary decision.
decided by a judge or arbiter rather than by a law or statute.
having unlimited power; uncontrolled or unrestricted by law; despotic; tyrannical: an arbitrary government.
based on whim or personal preference, without reason or pattern; random: This is an unusual encyclopedia, arranged by topics in a more or less arbitrary order.
Mathematics. undetermined; not assigned a specific value: an arbitrary constant.
noun, plural arĀ·biĀ·trarĀ·ies.
arbitraries, Printing. (in Britain) peculiar (def. 9).
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Origin of arbitrary
OTHER WORDS FROM arbitrary
Words nearby arbitrary
arbitrage, arbitrager, arbitral, arbitrament, arbitrarily, arbitrary, arbitrate, arbitration, arbitration bar, arbitrator, arbitrer
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Ā© Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use arbitrary in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for arbitrary
arbitrary
/ (ĖÉĖbÉŖtrÉrÉŖ) /
adjective
founded on or subject to personal whims, prejudices, etc; capricious
having only relative application or relevance; not absolute
(of a government, ruler, etc) despotic or dictatorial
maths not representing any specific valuean arbitrary constant
law (esp of a penalty or punishment) not laid down by statute; within the court's discretion
Derived forms of arbitrary
arbitrarily, adverbarbitrariness, nounWord Origin for arbitrary
C15: from Latin arbitrÄrius arranged through arbitration, uncertain
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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