English
arbitrary
Arbitrary comes from Latin arbitrārius ‘arbitrating’, and goes back to arbiter.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEarbiter‘arbitrator, arbiter’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEarbitrārius‘arbitrating’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500arbitrarie
- Englishearliest quotation 1906arbitrary
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEarbiter‘arbitrator, arbiter’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEarbitrārius‘arbitrating’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500arbitrarie
- Englishearliest quotation 1906arbitrary
Earliest quotation: 1906, Gelett Burgess: “The bromide conforms to everything sanctioned by the majority,…”
Every English word from Latin arbiter
Today it means
adj Based on individual discretion or judgment; not based on any objective distinction, perhaps even made at random.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin arbiter / arbitrary