arbitrarily

comparative more arbitrarily · superlative most arbitrarily

1. In an arbitrary manner.

   The winner was chosen arbitrarily.

   3 more examples

   From these remarks it will be seen that I look at the term species, as one arbitrarily given for the sake of convenience to a set of individuals closely resembling each other, and that it does not essentially differ from the term variety, which is given to less distinct and more fluctuating forms. The term variety, again, in comparison with mere individual differences, is also applied arbitrarily, and for mere convenience sake.

   1859, Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species

   Studies of the viable blood cells with phase contrast microscopy showed peculiar cells that had numerous short villi and were arbitrarily called “hairy cells.”

   1966 February 28, Robert Schrek, ““Hairy” Cells in Blood in Lymphoreticular Neoplastic Disease and “Flagellated” Cells of Normal Lymph Nodes”, in Blood, volume 27, number 2, page 199

   The number or classes or potential offerers of satellite services should not be [limited] arbitrarily.

   1970 January 24, “Administration's Recommended Policy on Satellite Communication”, in The New York Times

   Antonyms: unarbitrarily

2. To an arbitrary degree.

   an arbitrarily large number