arbitrary

[ ahr-bi-trer-ee ]
/ ˈɑr bɪˌtrɛr i /

adjective

subject to individual will or judgment without restriction; contingent solely upon one's discretion: an arbitrary decision.
decided by a judge or arbiter rather than by a law or statute.
having unlimited power; uncontrolled or unrestricted by law; despotic; tyrannical: an arbitrary government.
capricious; unreasonable; unsupported: an arbitrary demand for payment.
Mathematics. undetermined; not assigned a specific value: an arbitrary constant.

noun, plural ar·bi·trar·ies.

arbitraries, Printing. (in Britain) peculiar(def 9).

Origin of arbitrary

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin arbitrārius uncertain (i.e., depending on an arbiter's decision). See arbiter, -ary

OTHER WORDS FROM arbitrary

Example sentences from the Web for arbitrariness

British Dictionary definitions for arbitrariness

arbitrary
/ (ˈɑːbɪtrərɪ) /

adjective

founded on or subject to personal whims, prejudices, etc; capricious
having only relative application or relevance; not absolute
(of a government, ruler, etc) despotic or dictatorial
maths not representing any specific value an arbitrary constant
law (esp of a penalty or punishment) not laid down by statute; within the court's discretion

Derived forms of arbitrary

arbitrarily, adverb arbitrariness, noun

Word Origin for arbitrary

C15: from Latin arbitrārius arranged through arbitration, uncertain