Where does “arbitrary” come from?
Arbitrary comes from Latin arbitrarius, derived from arbiter, meaning one who has the power to decide or judge.
arbitrary (English): Based on individual discretion or judgment; not...
Definitions
- Based on individual discretion or judgment; not...
Ancestry of “arbitrary”, step by step
arbitrary traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via French arbitraire
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | arbitraire | arbitrary |
| 2 | Italian | arbitrario | arbitrary |
| 3 | Latin | arbitrarius | arbitrating; arbitrary |
| 4 | Latin | -ārius | er |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | *-āzios | Forms relational adjectives to nouns (and rarely numerals) |
via Middle English arbitrarie
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | arbitrarie | — |