ran·dom /ˈrændəm/ Show Spelled[ran-duhm] Show IPA
–adjective
1.proceeding, made, or occurring without definite aim, reason, or pattern: the random selection of numbers.
2.Statistics. of or characterizing a process of selection in which each item of a set has an equal probability of being chosen.
3.Building Trades.
a.(of building materials) lacking uniformity of dimensions: random shingles.
b.(of ashlar) laid without continuous courses.
c.constructed or applied without regularity: random bond.
–noun
4.Chiefly British. bank3 (def. 7b).
–adverb
5.Building Trades. without uniformity: random-sized slates.
—Idiom
6.at random, without definite aim, purpose, method, or adherence to a prior arrangement; in a haphazard way: Contestants were chosen at random from the studio audience.
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Origin:
1275–1325; ME raundon, random < OF randon, deriv. of randir to gallop < Gmc
—Related forms
ran·dom·ly, adverb
ran·dom·ness, noun
non·ran·dom, adjective
non·ran·dom·ly, adverb
non·ran·dom·ness, noun
—Synonyms
1. haphazard, chance, fortuitous.