indefinite
[ in-def-uh-nit ]
/ ɪnˈdɛf ə nɪt /
adjective
not definite; without fixed or specified limit; unlimited: an indefinite number.
not clearly defined or determined; not precise or exact: an indefinite boundary; an indefinite date in the future.
Grammar.
Botany.
- very numerous or not easily counted, as stamens.
- (of an inflorescence) indeterminate.
RELATED CONTENT
When To Use Definite vs. Indefinite ArticlesArticles are a unique type of adjectives that indicate which noun (person, place, or thing) you’re talking about. The only definite article in English is the, and it refers to a specific noun. Indefinite articles (a or an) refer to nouns more generally. Indefinite Articles Indefinite articles refer to non-specific nouns. Think “I need a pen” or “I want an orange.” In both cases, we …
What Do “Numpire” and “Ewt” Have in Common?These funny-looking words may not be recognizable, but they were the ancestors of our modern-day umpire and newt. So, how did they evolve into their current forms? Because of the pesky letter n, the indefinite article a/an, and the fact that a bunch of English-speakers hundreds of years ago had hearing problems. The bouncing n and rebracketing Words like numpire and ewt underwent a process we’re playfully calling the …
RELATED WORDS
Nearby words
- indefeasible,
- indefectible,
- indefensible,
- indefinability,
- indefinable,
- indefinite article,
- indefinite integral,
- indefinite number,
- indefinite pronoun,
- indefinite relative clause
Origin of indefinite
SYNONYMS FOR indefinite
ANTONYMS FOR indefinite
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for indefiniteness
indefinite
/ (ɪnˈdɛfɪnɪt) /
adjective
not certain or determined; unsettled
without exact limits; indeterminatean indefinite number
vague, evasive, or unclear
Also: indeterminate botany
- too numerous to countindefinite stamens
- capable of continued growth at the tip of the stem, which does not terminate in a floweran indefinite inflorescence
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
indefinite
early 15c. (implied in indefinitely), from Latin indefinitus, from in- "not, opposite of, without" (see in- (1)) + definitus, past participle of definire (see define).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper