arbitrary
- Based on random choice, personal whim, or no clear reasoning rather than on any fixed rule or standard.
- In law or politics, describing the unrestrained use of power without accountability.
In a sentence
- The teacher's grading seemed arbitrary, with no clear rubric to explain the scores.
- The king's arbitrary decisions left his subjects uncertain about what laws actually applied to them.
Usage note. In formal or legal contexts, 'arbitrary' carries a strong negative charge, implying an abuse of power; in casual speech it often simply means 'random'.
Where it comes from
English arbitrary · entered English early 15th c.
From Latin 'arbitrarius', meaning 'depending on the will of an arbiter or judge', derived from 'arbiter' (a judge or witness). The word entered English in the early 15th century and originally carried a neutral sense of something left to individual judgment before acquiring its modern negative connotation of capriciousness.