English Lexicon

Random

/ˈræn.dəm/
adjectivenounCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #1450 frequency
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2 senses
As adjective
  1. 1

    Made, done, or happening without method or conscious decision.

    "The selection of participants for the study was completely random."
  2. 2

    Relating to or denoting processes that are unpredictable or determined by chance.

    "The random nature of the lottery means that anyone can win."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from the Middle English noun 'randoun' or 'randon', meaning 'impetuosity' or 'gallop', which came from the Old French verb 'randir', meaning 'to run fast'. By the 16th century, the meaning shifted to denote something happening without definite aim, direction, or method, eventually stabilizing into the modern statistical and general concept of lack of predictable pattern.

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