arbitrary
random, without reason
TRANSLATION
arbitrary = willkürlich, beliebig, unbegründet, nach freiem Ermessen arbitrary = nicht einem Grund oder einem System folgend, sondern wie es sich zufällig ergibt --- GOOGLE INDEX arbitrary: approximately 60,000,000 Google hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
The need for an operation should always be judged by a surgeon based on their clinical assessment of the patient and the risks and benefits of the surgery - not determined by ARBITRARY criteria.
(BBC News)
---
Plans to introduce an ARBITRARY mansion tax on expensive homes will "undermine the fundamental principles of private ownership", a former minister has warned.
(The Times of London)
(BBC News)
---
Plans to introduce an ARBITRARY mansion tax on expensive homes will "undermine the fundamental principles of private ownership", a former minister has warned.
(The Times of London)
Did you
know?
arbitrary
adjective
- based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system
(Oxford Dictionary)
---
Arbitrary is from the Old French arbitraire (14th century) and ultimately from the Latin arbitrarius, meaning "depending on the will, uncertain," which in turn stems from "arbiter."
This is an interesting etymological evolution given that the Latin arbiter referred to someone who goes somewhere as a witness or judge, a person that is not expected to make arbitrary decisions.
In classical Latin, it was used of spectators and eye-witnesses and in law it described someone who hears and decides a case, such as a judge, umpire or mediator.
Modern English adopted the Latin arbiter where it is still used to describe an independent person tasked with helping two sides resolve a dispute, such as a disagreement between a company and a workers' union.
---
SYNONYMS
capricious, discretionary, erratic, frivolous, random, subjective, supercilious, whimsical
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"An arbitrary marketing strategy seldom leads to success."
adjective
- based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system
(Oxford Dictionary)
---
Arbitrary is from the Old French arbitraire (14th century) and ultimately from the Latin arbitrarius, meaning "depending on the will, uncertain," which in turn stems from "arbiter."
This is an interesting etymological evolution given that the Latin arbiter referred to someone who goes somewhere as a witness or judge, a person that is not expected to make arbitrary decisions.
In classical Latin, it was used of spectators and eye-witnesses and in law it described someone who hears and decides a case, such as a judge, umpire or mediator.
Modern English adopted the Latin arbiter where it is still used to describe an independent person tasked with helping two sides resolve a dispute, such as a disagreement between a company and a workers' union.
---
SYNONYMS
capricious, discretionary, erratic, frivolous, random, subjective, supercilious, whimsical
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"An arbitrary marketing strategy seldom leads to success."
