Wordwyrt

arbitrary

/ˈɑːbətˌɹeɹi/AHR-buh-treh-ree
/ˈɑɹbətˌɹɛɹi/AHR-buh-treh-ree

Meaningleft to a judge

Common meaning: based on whim rather than reason

Journey through time

  1. Latinarbiter‘a witness, judge, umpire’
  2. Englisharbitrary‘based on whim rather than reason’ · today

arbitr also in: arbitratearbiter

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin arbiter ‘a witness, judge, umpire’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry arbiter, p. 151 · dictionary scan

Roots

  • arbiter Latin “a witness, judge, umpire”

Related words

arbiterarbitrate

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