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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

random en · ADJ

Pronunciation

  • /ˈɹændəm/
  • (US) audio
  • răn'dəm

Etymology

From earlier randon, from Middle English randoun, raundon, from Old French randon, from randir (“to run, gallop”) (whence French randonnée (“long walk, hike”)), from Frankish *randiju (“a run, race”) or Old Norse rend (“a run, race”), both from Proto-Germanic *randijō, from *rinnaną (“run”, verb), from Proto-Indo-European *(H)r̥-nw- (“to flow, move, run”). Cognate with Middle Low German uprinden (“to jump up”), Danish rende (“to run”). See run.

Meanings

  1. Occurring for no particular reason; haphazard, unpredictable.
    • Our city is plagued by random acts of violence.
    • random acts of kindness
  2. Involving an outcome which is impossible to predict, but which may be represented by a probability distribution; in the ideal case, involving outcomes which are equally likely.
    • The results of the field survey look random by several different measures.
    • A toss of a loaded die is still random, though biased.
    • Near-synonyms: aleatory, stochastic
    • The flip of a fair coin is purely random.
    • July 18 2012, Scott Tobias, AV Club The Dark Knight Riseshttp://www.avclub.com/articles/the-dark-knight-rises-review-batman,82624/ Where the Joker preys on our fears of random, irrational acts of terror, Bane has an all-consuming, dictatorial agenda that’s more stable and permanent, a New World Order that’s been planned out with the precision of a military coup.
    • The newspaper conducted a random sample of five hundred American teenagers.
  3. Pseudorandom; mimicking the result of random selection.
    • The rand function generates a random number from a seed.
  4. (informal) Selected for no particular reason; arbitrary; unspecified.
    • You're just going to trust the word of random people on the Internet?
    • A random American off the street couldn't tell the difference.
    • Whatever random hobby you're into, there's an Internet community for it.
    • I didn't have time to peruse the resturant's menu, so I just ordered some random dish.
  5. (informal) Being (part of) a varied, unrelated, and apparently arbitrary collection of things; diverse, heterogeneous.
    • I mixed a bunch of random vegetables into a salad, and it actually turned out pretty good.
    • I brought a bunch of random snacks, but nothing nutritious.
    • My notebook has turned into a random collection of thoughts.
  6. (informal) Apropos of nothing; lacking context, relevance, or any connection to the previous situation; unexpected.
    • I feel like pineapple is a very random thing to put on a pizza.
    • This random guy just came up to me to say that he was a fan of my work.
    • Thank you for that completely random comment... now, let's get back to our actual topic of discussion.
    • The teacher's bartending story was interesting, but very random.
  7. (informal) Of a person: characterized by or often saying random things; habitually using non sequiturs.
    • You're so random! I never know what you're going to do next.
  8. (UK, slang) Being out of the ordinary; unusual or unexpected; odd, strange, bizarre.
    • That's a rather random fact!
    • I can't believe he would say that. That's so random!

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
most random Degree=Sup lexicographic
more random Degree=Cmp lexicographic

Deriveds

bi-random (terms derived from random (adjective)) · standard normal random variable (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random camping (terms derived from random (adjective)) · pseudorandom (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random-access memory (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random access (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random walk (terms derived from random (adjective)) · randomization (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random telegraph noise (terms derived from random (adjective)) · randomise (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random access memory (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random number god (terms derived from random (adjective)) · binomial random variable (terms derived from random (adjective)) · semirandom (terms derived from random (adjective)) · non-volatile random access memory (terms derived from random (adjective)) · randomish (terms derived from random (adjective)) · randomly (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random encounter (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random sample (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random sequence (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random neural network (terms derived from random (adjective)) · randomize (terms derived from random (adjective)) · nonrandom (terms derived from random (adjective)) · randomista (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random walker (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random function (terms derived from random (adjective)) · Fischer random chess (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random number (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random-access (terms derived from random (adjective)) · randomer (terms derived from random (adjective)) · non-random (terms derived from random (adjective)) · rando (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random variable (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random act of kindness (terms derived from random (adjective)) · programmed random occurrence (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random process (terms derived from random (adjective)) · hypergeometric random variable (terms derived from random (adjective)) · randumb (terms derived from random (adjective)) · resistive random access memory (terms derived from random (adjective)) · static random access memory (terms derived from random (adjective)) · quasirandom (terms derived from random (adjective)) · randomity (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random-ish (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random glucose (terms derived from random (adjective)) · unrandom (terms derived from random (adjective)) · normal random variable (terms derived from random (adjective)) · semi-random (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random forest (terms derived from random (adjective)) · dynamic random access memory (terms derived from random (adjective)) · randomisation (terms derived from random (adjective)) · randomosity (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random seed (terms derived from random (adjective)) · random number generator (terms derived from random (adjective)) · randomicity (terms derived from random (adjective)) · lolrandom (terms derived from random (adjective)) · randomness (terms derived from random (adjective))

Descendants

random · random · ռանդոմ · random · рандо́м · random · random · random · random

Synonyms

desultory · stochastic · aleatory

Translations (203)

ba осраҡлы (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ti ዘፈቀዳዊ (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ko 무작위 (all outcomes being unpredictable) · az necəgəldi (all outcomes being unpredictable) · tr rassal (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · hu szokványos (undistinguished, average) · pt aleatório (computing: pseudorandom) · pt aleatório (all outcomes being unpredictable) · fr aléatoire (all outcomes being unpredictable) · eo hazarda (undistinguished, average) · de zufällig (computing: pseudorandom) · cmn 莫名其妙 (apropos of nothing) · scn a muzzu (all outcomes being unpredictable) · vi ngẫu nhiên (all outcomes being unpredictable) · nl lukraak (all outcomes being unpredictable) · lb zoufälleg (all outcomes being unpredictable) · it casuale (all outcomes being unpredictable) · no tilfelleleg (all outcomes being unpredictable) · hu álvéletlen (computing: pseudorandom) · no tilfeldig (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · is handahófskenndur (all outcomes being unpredictable) · de random (apropos of nothing) · pl losowy (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ro întâmplătoare (all outcomes being unpredictable) · mk случаен (undistinguished, average) · mi hiko (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ka ქაოსური (all outcomes being unpredictable) · da tilfældig (all outcomes being unpredictable) · pl pseudolosowy (computing: pseudorandom) · cs náhodný (undistinguished, average) · pt pseudo-randômico (computing: pseudorandom) · pt randômico (computing: pseudorandom) · nl toevallig (all outcomes being unpredictable) · es al azar (undistinguished, average) · ka არეული (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ka შემთხვევითი (all outcomes being unpredictable) · pl bez związku (apropos of nothing) · eo hazarda (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ro întâmplător (all outcomes being unpredictable) · mk случаен (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · eo aleatora (all outcomes being unpredictable) · hu pszeudorandom (computing: pseudorandom) · la fortuītus (all outcomes being unpredictable) · de zufällig (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ca qualsevol (undistinguished, average) · sk odveci (apropos of nothing) · fa تصادفی (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · cmn 隨機 /随机 (all outcomes being unpredictable) · sv vanlig (undistinguished, average) · sk náhodný (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · eo hazardeca (undistinguished, average) · fi satunnainen (apropos of nothing) · fi irrallinen (apropos of nothing) · la fortūitus (apropos of nothing) · kk кездейсоқ (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · es al azar (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · ru рандо́мный (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · ka თვითნებითი (all outcomes being unpredictable) · fi satunnainen (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · sk náhodný (computing: pseudorandom) · hu random (all outcomes being unpredictable) · es random (undistinguished, average) · he אקראי (all outcomes being unpredictable) · tr sözde rastgele (computing: pseudorandom) · mk псевдослучаен (computing: pseudorandom) · sv slumpmässig (all outcomes being unpredictable) · mk бесцелен (apropos of nothing) · ja 適当な (apropos of nothing) · cy ar hap (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ja 任意の (all outcomes being unpredictable) · pl losowy (computing: pseudorandom) · fr pseudo-aléatoire (computing: pseudorandom) · mi matapōkere (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · ko 뜬금없다 (apropos of nothing) · ru произво́льный (undistinguished, average) · cs náhodný (all outcomes being unpredictable) · pt randômico (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · es random (all outcomes being unpredictable) · tl alisaga (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · et juhuslik (all outcomes being unpredictable) · mk случаен (computing: pseudorandom) · mi tupurangi (all outcomes being unpredictable) · fr au hasard (all outcomes being unpredictable) · th สุ่ม (all outcomes being unpredictable) · es random (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · ga fánach (all outcomes being unpredictable) · pl przypadkowy (all outcomes being unpredictable) · es al azar (computing: pseudorandom) · hu véletlenszerű (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ja 平均的な (undistinguished, average) · hu közönséges (undistinguished, average) · fr stochastique (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · sk ktorýkoľvek (undistinguished, average) · no tilfelleleg (computing: pseudorandom) · ja 適当な (all outcomes being unpredictable) · cmn 隨機 /随机 (computing: pseudorandom) · fi asiaankuulumaton (apropos of nothing) · az təsadüfi (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ja 勝手気ままな (apropos of nothing) · ms rawak (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ca aleatori (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · bg случаен (all outcomes being unpredictable) · fi satunnainen (computing: pseudorandom) · ro aleatoriu (all outcomes being unpredictable) · hu véletlen (all outcomes being unpredictable) · no tilfellelig (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · pl statystyczny (undistinguished, average) · ru случа́йный (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · pt aleatório (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · uk недоречний (apropos of nothing) · hi यादृच्छिक (all outcomes being unpredictable) · no tilfellelig (all outcomes being unpredictable) · tr gelişigüzel (all outcomes being unpredictable) · hy պատահական (all outcomes being unpredictable) · uk недоцільний (apropos of nothing) · hy պատահական (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · de Durchschnitts- (undistinguished, average) · sh proizvoljno (all outcomes being unpredictable) · fi näennäissatunnainen (computing: pseudorandom) · da ligegyldig (apropos of nothing) · af willekeurig (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ja ランダムな (computing: pseudorandom) · el τυχαίος (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · ar عَشْوَائِيّ (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · da overflødig (apropos of nothing) · mn таамгаар (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ja 任意の (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · ja 適当な (undistinguished, average) · fo tilvildarligur (all outcomes being unpredictable) · fi satunnainen (undistinguished, average) · es random (apropos of nothing) · th เฉลี่ย (undistinguished, average) · es al azar (apropos of nothing) · fa تصادفی (all outcomes being unpredictable) · es al azar (all outcomes being unpredictable) · io hazarda (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ca pseudo-aleatori (computing: pseudorandom) · ja 出任せの (apropos of nothing) · grc εἰκαῖος (all outcomes being unpredictable) · sk ľubovoľný (undistinguished, average) · ru псевдослуча́йный (computing: pseudorandom) · eo aleatora (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · pl od czapy (apropos of nothing) · mi tupurangi (apropos of nothing) · ru случа́йный (all outcomes being unpredictable) · pl losowy (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · sk náhodný (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ro aleatorie (all outcomes being unpredictable) · fr sorti de nulle part (apropos of nothing) · fi tavallinen (undistinguished, average) · ga teagmhasach (all outcomes being unpredictable) · tr rastgele (all outcomes being unpredictable) · kk кездейсоқ (all outcomes being unpredictable) · th สุ่ม (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · sk irelevantný (apropos of nothing) · ja 不可解な (apropos of nothing) · el τυχαίος (all outcomes being unpredictable) · cs nesouvisející (apropos of nothing) · ru рандо́мный (all outcomes being unpredictable) · bg случаен (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · fr moyen (undistinguished, average) · pl przeciętny (undistinguished, average) · az təsadüfi (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · ja 任意の (computing: pseudorandom) · ru случа́йный (undistinguished, average) · th สุ่มเทียม (computing: pseudorandom) · hu átlagos (undistinguished, average) · hu random (undistinguished, average) · ru пе́рвый попа́вшийся (undistinguished, average) · fr aléatoire (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · hu sztochasztikus (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · no tilfeldig (computing: pseudorandom) · uk випадко́вий (all outcomes being unpredictable) · id acak (all outcomes being unpredictable) · nl willekeurig (all outcomes being unpredictable) · et suvaline (all outcomes being unpredictable) · sv slumpartad (all outcomes being unpredictable) · sh nasumice (all outcomes being unpredictable) · it fortuito (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ru случа́йный (computing: pseudorandom) · sv oberäknelig (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ca aleatori (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ja 任意の (undistinguished, average) · cs průměrný (undistinguished, average) · es random (computing: pseudorandom) · bg произволен (undistinguished, average) · no tilfeldig (all outcomes being unpredictable) · cs neodlišitelný (undistinguished, average) · ar عَشْوَائِيّ (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ja ランダムな (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · no tilfelleleg (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · cs pseudonáhodný (computing: pseudorandom) · eo arbitra (all outcomes being unpredictable) · no tilfellelig (computing: pseudorandom) · scn com'è-è (all outcomes being unpredictable) · gl aleatorio (all outcomes being unpredictable) · tr rastgele (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · ru неуме́стный (apropos of nothing) · ja 無作為な (mathematics: of or relating to probability distribution) · mk случаен (all outcomes being unpredictable) · fa تصادفی (computing: pseudorandom) · fi satunnainen (all outcomes being unpredictable) · ka უწესრიგო (all outcomes being unpredictable)

random en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /ˈɹændəm/
  • (US) audio
  • răn'dəm

Etymology

From earlier randon, from Middle English randoun, raundon, from Old French randon, from randir (“to run, gallop”) (whence French randonnée (“long walk, hike”)), from Frankish *randiju (“a run, race”) or Old Norse rend (“a run, race”), both from Proto-Germanic *randijō, from *rinnaną (“run”, verb), from Proto-Indo-European *(H)r̥-nw- (“to flow, move, run”). Cognate with Middle Low German uprinden (“to jump up”), Danish rende (“to run”). See run.

Meanings

  1. (countable, qualifier:now only in the phrase at random, uncountable) A roving motion; course without definite direction; lack of rule or method; chance.
    • O ! many a shaft, at random sent, / Finds mark the archer little meant ! 1815, Sir Walter Scott, The Lord of the Isles, page 216:
    • Still take advice ; though counsels, when they fly / At random, sometimes hit most happily. 1648, Robert Herrick, Hesperides, London: H. G. Clarke and Co., published 1844, page 134:
  2. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) Speed, full speed; impetuosity, force.
    • they were messagers vnto kyng Ban & Bors sent from kynge Arthur / therfor said the viij knyghtes ye shalle dye or be prysoners / for we ben knyghtes of kyng Claudas And therwith two of them dressid theire sperys / and Vlfyus and Brastias dressid theire speres and ranne to gyder with grete raundon 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter X, in Le Morte Darthur, book I:
    • […] for coragiouſly the two kynges newely foughte with great randon and force, they ſhewed their vigors and ſtrengthes and did ſo nobly that their coũter parties had none aduaũtage. 1548, Edward Hall, “The triumphant reigne of Kyng Henry the VIII”, in The Union of the two noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre and Yorke (Hall’s Chronicle), page 82v:
  3. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) The full range of a bullet or other projectile; hence, the angle at which a weapon is tilted to allow the greatest range.
    • Fortie yards will they shoot levell, or very neare the marke, and 120 is their best at Random. 1624, John Smith, Generall Historie, Kupperman, published 1988, page 144:
    • […] the angle at which the miſſive is to mount by ( if we will have it go to its furtheſt randome ) muſt be the half of a right one […] 1644, Sir Kenelm Digby, Two Treatises, page 125:
  4. (colloquial, countable, figuratively, uncountable) An undefined, unknown or unimportant person; a person of no consequence.
    • The party was boring. It was full of randoms.
    • ‘The days I had to have sex with randoms, I thought thank God!’ Jamie Bell on eye-popping drama Half Man [title] 2026 May 22, Michael Hogan, “‘The days I had to have sex with randoms, I thought thank God!’ Jamie Bell on eye-popping drama Half Man”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
  5. (countable, uncountable) The direction of a rake-vein.
  6. (countable, historical, uncountable) A frame for composing type.
    • Printers' frames and randoms 2002, Republic of Korea, number 2, page 502:
    • Utilization of all floor space underneath case racks and randoms is another feature of the modern composing room; […] 1935, Newspaper World, numbers 1930-1955, page 41:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
randoms Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

randy (second sense) · randomwise · randomless · at random · randomlike · random-like

Synonyms

velocity · vagrant · momentum · speed · nonentity · rando · nobody · force

Translations (24)

sk nula (unimportant person) · it sconosciuto (unimportant person) · pt fulano (unimportant person) · pt sicrano (unimportant person) · fi tavis (unimportant person) · roa-opt randon (obsolete: speed, full speed; impetuosity, force) · es rondón (obsolete: speed, full speed; impetuosity, force) · pt beltrano (unimportant person) · lb zoufälleg (unimportant person) · el τυχαίος (unimportant person) · et suvakas (unimportant person) · ja 野次馬 (unimportant person) · ko 듣보잡 (unimportant person) · ca ningú (unimportant person) · de Rando (unimportant person) · it nullità (unimportant person) · es fulano (unimportant person) · ca paio (unimportant person) · fr quidam (unimportant person) · es cualquiera (unimportant person) · gl randón (obsolete: speed, full speed; impetuosity, force) · it estraneo (unimportant person) · sk niktoš (unimportant person) · pt joão-ninguém (unimportant person)

random en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • /ˈɹændəm/
  • (US) audio
  • răn'dəm

Etymology

From earlier randon, from Middle English randoun, raundon, from Old French randon, from randir (“to run, gallop”) (whence French randonnée (“long walk, hike”)), from Frankish *randiju (“a run, race”) or Old Norse rend (“a run, race”), both from Proto-Germanic *randijō, from *rinnaną (“run”, verb), from Proto-Indo-European *(H)r̥-nw- (“to flow, move, run”). Cognate with Middle Low German uprinden (“to jump up”), Danish rende (“to run”). See run.

Meanings

  1. (intransitive, uncommon) To wander; to stray; to meander.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
randoms Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
randoming Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
randomed Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
randomed Tense=Past lexicographic