Indeterminate

/ɪndɪˈtɜː(ɹ)mɪnət/ · adjective

Meaning

Not accurately determined or determinable..

Definitions by Sense

1. Not accurately determined or determinable.
2. Imprecise or vague.
3. (mathematical analysis, of certain forms of limit) Not definitively or precisely determined, because of the presence of infinity or zero symbols used in any of several improper combinations.
4. (biology, of growth) With no genetically defined end, and thus theoretically limitless.
5. (botany, of inflorescences) Not topped with some form of terminal bud.
6. Intersex.
7. (architecture) Designed to allow the incorporation of future changes whose nature is not yet known.
8. (algebra, strict sense) A symbol that resembles a variable or parameter but is used purely formally and neither signifies nor is ever assigned a particular value;

Example Sentences

Four miles to the east of Warmington, the River Cherwell flows into Cropredy under a bridge that in 1644 was the scene of another Civil War battle - with an equally indeterminate result.

It bears an affinity to the problem of indeterminate architecture—the indeterminate residential area.

1862, H. J. Stephen Smith, Report on the Theory of Numbers—Part III, Report of the 31st Meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, British Association for the Advancement of Science, page 292, The form is linear, quadratic, cubic, biquadratic or quartic, quintic, &c., according to its order in respect of the indeterminates it contains; and binary, ternary, quaternary, &c., according to the number of its indeterminates. Thus x²+y² is a binary quadratic form, x³+y³+z³-3xyz is a ternary cubic form.

1892, Henry B. Fine, Kronecker and His Arithmetical Theory of the Algebraic Equation, Thomas S. Fiske, Harold Jacoby (editors), Bulletin of the New York Mathematical Society, Volume 1, New York Mathematical Society, page 179, Such a factor is therefore an integral function of x and the indeterminates u_1,u_2,…u_n with coefficients belonging to the domain of rationality (R',R,..) and may be represented by g(x,u_1,u_2,..u_n).

2006, Alexander B. Levin, Difference Algebra, M. Hazewinkel, Handbook of Algebra, page 251, Let T=T_σ and let S be the polynomial R-algebra in the set of indeterminates y_i,τ_(i∈I,τ∈T) with indices from the set I×T.

Synonyms for indeterminate

Antonyms for indeterminate

Related Words

Word Forms

• more indeterminate
• most indeterminate
• indeterminates

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

Practice and Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions