arbitrarily — based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system
Part of speech: ADVERB
Definition: based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈɑrbɪˌtrerəli/
Example Sentences
- My boss arbitrarily changes the meeting time whenever he feels like it.
- The teacher arbitrarily picked students for the presentation.
- The company arbitrarily relocated employees to different departments.
arbitrarily
ADVERB[/ˈɑrbɪˌtrerəli/]
based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system
The teacher arbitrarily picked one student instead of drawing names fairly.
The referee arbitrarily blew the whistle, leaving both teams confused. (arbitrarily → "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe...")
The rule was applied arbitrarily, not necessarily, so people returned to living ordinarily.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Latin 'arbitrarius', an adjective formed from 'arbiter' (judge or mediator). It developed from the concept of a judge or arbiter making decisions based on personal judgment rather than fixed rules, similar to how an umpire applies subjective discretion in determining outcomes.
Breakdown
arbitr- (from Latin arbiter, meaning judge or mediator) + -arius (Latin adjective suffix meaning 'of or relating to') + -ly (English adverbial suffix forming adverbs from adjectives).
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My boss arbitrarily changes the meeting time whenever he feels like it.”
“The teacher arbitrarily picked students for the presentation.”
“The company arbitrarily relocated employees to different departments.”
“He arbitrarily decided that pizza is better than hamburgers without any scientific evidence.”
📚Related Words
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