arbitrary
pronunciation
How to pronounce arbitrary in British English:
UK [ˈɑːbɪtrəri]
How to pronounce arbitrary in American English:
US [ˈɑːrbɪtreri]
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- Adjective:
- based on or subject to individual discretion or preference or sometimes impulse or caprice
Word Origin
- arbitrary
- arbitrary: [15] Arbitrary comes ultimately from Latin arbiter ‘judge’, via the derived adjective arbitrārius. It originally meant ‘decided by one’s own discretion or judgment’, and has since broadened, and ‘worsened’, in meaning to ‘capricious’. The Latin noun has of course contributed a large number of other words to English, including arbiter [15] itself, arbitrate [16] (via the Latin verb arbitrārī), and arbitrament [14]. Arbitrage in the sense ‘buying and selling shares to make a profit’ is a 19thcentury borrowing from French, where it means literally ‘arbitration’.=> arbitrate
- arbitrary (adj.)
- early 15c., "deciding by one's own discretion," from Old French arbitraire (14c.) or directly from Latin arbitrarius "depending on the will, uncertain," from arbiter (see arbiter). The original meaning gradually descended to "capricious" and "despotic" (1640s). Related: Arbitrarily; arbitrariness.
Synonym
Example
- 1. Complaints abound about arbitrary and venal tax inspections .
- 2. The order of those parameters is arbitrary .
- 3. Most frustrating is the arbitrary nature of the process .
- 4. Local police arbitrary rules are becoming ledendary .
- 5. A corollary is that arbitrary administrative power would have to be severely limited .