stochastic

American  

[stuh-kas-tik] / stəˈkæs tɪk /

adjective

Statistics.

1. of or relating to a process involving a randomly determined sequence of observations each of which is considered as a sample of one element from a probability distribution.

---

stochastic British  

/ stɒˈkæstɪk /

adjective

1. statistics

   1. (of a random variable) having a probability distribution, usually with finite variance

   2. (of a process) involving a random variable the successive values of which are not independent

   3. (of a matrix) square with non-negative elements that add to unity in each row

2. rare involving conjecture

---

stochastic Scientific  

/ stō-kăs′tĭk /

1. Involving or containing a random variable or variables.

2. Involving chance or probability.

---

Other Word Forms

• stochastically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of stochastic

1655–65; < Greek stochastikós, equivalent to stochas- (variant stem of stocházesthai to aim at) + -tikos -tic

Explanation

The adjective stochastic describes something that has a random variable. You like to joke that the city buses follow a stochastic schedule because they arrive at random times at the various bus stops. Stochastic is from the Greek word stokhastikos, meaning "able to guess," with the root stokhos meaning "a target" — in Greek stokhos literally means "a stick meant for archers to shoot at." The "guess" part of the original Greek work is still part of the word's meaning today: A stochastic process in a computer program, for example, is one where you can't predict what is going to happen in the program because of something random in it.

Example Sentences

Sander Van Der Linden, a professor of social psychology at the University of Cambridge, uses the term "stochastic terrorism" to describe events like this.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

We use multiple indicators but rely most on the stochastic oscillator for timely indications of important highs and lows.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

The researchers call their approach the stochastic siren method, reflecting the random nature of the collisions that contribute to the gravitational-wave background.

From Science Daily • Mar. 1, 2026

Like other group behaviors, traffic exhibits statistical and stochastic patterns, with variations summed over vast regularity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

Oppression breeds resistance and Serb oppression served only to streamline the stochastic nationalist movement into a compartmentalized, though factious, underground organization with roots wherever Albanians resided: Germany, Switzerland, the USA, Canada and Australia.

From Terrorists and Freedom Fighters by Vaknin, Samuel

Related Words

• debatable
• imaginary
• problematic
• speculative
• theoretical
• vague