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arbitrary

Meanings
  • adjective

    Not based on reason, judgment, or any fixed rules; decided at one's own pleasure; capricious.

    - "The manager made arbitrary decisions without consulting the employees."
    - "The arbitrary rules of the game made it difficult to understand."
  • adjective

    At random; by chance.

    - "The students were chosen for the team in an arbitrary manner."
    - "The wind blew in an arbitrary direction."
Pronunciation




  1. Source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75729540"
  2. /ˈɑɹ.bɪ.tɹɛ(ə).ɹi/



    Source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1171171"
Rhymes
Words rhyming with arbitrary
hairy , marry , merry , quarry
Homophones
Words having the same pronunciation but different meanings, origins, or spelling,

  1. arboretum (en) : A botanical garden containing trees and shrubs.

  2. arbitrate (en) : To act as a judge or mediator in a dispute.

Variants
List of all variants of arbitrary that leads to same result
arbitrarily , arbitrariness , arbitrarinesses , arbitrary
Forms
Different forms of the word (e.g., verb conjugations, plural forms, comparative/superlative forms for adjectives).

arbitrariness, arbitrarily, arbitration

Etymology
origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

Before the 15th century, the term 'arbitrary' was derived from the Latin 'arbitrium,' meaning 'judgment' or 'power of decision.' Over time, the meaning evolved to include 'not based on reason or rules.'

Trivia
Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

  1. The term 'arbitrary' was first used in English in the 14th century.

  2. The term 'arbitrary' is often used in mathematics to describe a function with no discernible pattern.

Related Concepts
informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

  1. Capricious: Describes a person or situation that is subject to inexplicable and unpredictable changes.

  2. Random: Describes something that is selected, chosen, or happening by chance without any discernible pattern.

Quotes
Quotes by authors and personalities

  1. Darwin's emphasis on how populations gradually change gave the notion of species a more "arbitrary" quality: Species had whatever boundaries taxonomists chose. The idea of a species as a population of individuals that breed mostly with each other comes from 20th-century theorists.

    - S. Milius,{it}Science News{/it},25 Mar. 2006

  2. U.S. News was revealed to have considered assigning in its next rankings an "arbitrary" SAT score to Sarah Lawrence College because the school no longer collects applicants' scores.

    - Julie Rawe,{it}Time{/it},2 Apr. 2007

  3. The Marriage Act certainly employed "arbitrary" and draconian means. It forced all couples to marry between 8 am and 12 noon, according to the rites of the established Church of England, in one of their respective local parish churches.

    - David Johnson,{it}History Today{/it},November 2003

  4. Two days after President Lincoln issued the first version of his Emancipation Proclamation, he suspended the right of habeas corpus for anyone accused of resisting the draft or discouraging enlistment. Hundreds of civilians were arrested, some for good reasons, some for entirely "arbitrary" and personal ones.

    - Michael Lesy,{it}Double Take{/it},Spring 2001
Culture
Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

The term 'arbitrary' has been used extensively in literature, philosophy, and politics to describe power, decision-making, and individual freedom. In literature, it is often used to highlight the unpredictability and unreasonableness of a character's actions or the societal norms they challenge.

How to Memorize "arbitrary"

  1. visualize

    - Visualize a judge making a decision based on their own preference rather than the law.

  2. associate

    - Associate the word 'arbitrary' with the word 'unpredictable' or 'capricious'.

  3. mnemonics

    - Create a mnemonic like 'A Rbitrary judge makes decisions At Random.'

🧠 Bonus Tips

To help you remember the word 'arbitrary', follow these practical tricks with steps:

1. Association of the word: Think of the word 'arbit' which means 'random' or 'unrestricted' and 'rary' which is a suffix meaning 'relating to'. This will help you remember that 'arbitrary' means something that is determined by chance or whim, rather than by rule or principle.

2. Visualization: Imagine a person making random and arbitrary decisions, with no logical reason behind them. This mental image can serve as a reminder of the meaning of the word.

3. Breaking down the word: Divide the word into smaller parts and try to remember the meaning of each part. For example, 'arb' can remind you of 'arbitrary' and 'rary' can remind you of 'relating to'.

4. Mnemonic device: Create a mnemonic device that helps you remember the word. For example, you can use the sentence 'An arbitrary decision is made on a whim, without any reason or rationale.'

5. Regular practice: Practice using the word in sentences and try to recall its meaning regularly. This will help you internalize the word and remember it more easily in the long run.

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The best and recommended way to memorize arbitrary is, by using Dictozo. Just save the word in Dictozo extension and let the app handle the rest. It enhances the memorization process in two ways:

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