Meanings
nounnondeterminism (countable and uncountable, plural nondeterminisms)
plural nondeterminisms · alternative non-determinism
- countableuncountablehuman sciencesThe opposite of determinism: the doctrine that there are factors other than the state and immutable laws of the universe involved in the unfolding of events, such as free will.
- countableuncountablecomputingDependence on factors other than initial state and input.
Moving from a single-processor to a multi-processor system often exposes hidden nondeterminism due to invalid assumptions about scheduling.
- countableuncountablecomputerThe property of being nondeterministic, involving arbitrary choices; necessitating the choice between various indistinguishable possibilities.
Projection of an automaton almost always results in nondeterminism.
Synonyms & antonyms
Opposite
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*né
- Proto-Germanic*ne
- Proto-Indo-European*ís?
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁óynos
- Proto-Germanic*ainaz
- Proto-Germanic*nainaz
- Proto-West Germanic*nain
- Old Englishnān
- Middle Englishnon
- Old Englishnān
- Old Englishnān-
- Middle Englishnon-
- Englishnon-
- Englishdeterminism
- Englishnondeterminism
From non- + determinism.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch niet-determinisme, niet-determinisme
- niet-determinismedependence on other factors
- niet-determinismebeing non-deterministic
Romanian nedeterminism, nedeterminism
- nedeterminismdependence on other factors
- nedeterminismbeing non-deterministic
Cite this entry
APA
nondeterminism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nondeterminism
MLA
“nondeterminism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nondeterminism. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nondeterminism,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nondeterminism.
Source: nondeterminism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.