indeterminate

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌɪndɪˈtɜrmɪnət/ UK /ˌɪndɪˈtɜːmɪnət/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
not exactly known, established, or fixed in nature or extent

The painting was by an artist of indeterminate origin.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · not exactly known,... undefined uncertain vague indefiniteunspecifiedambiguous

Opposites

determinate definite fixed certain

Word family

Forms indeterminateness

Derived forms indeterminatelyindeterminacy

Related forms determinate determine determination term

Etymology

From Late Latin indeterminatus, from in- ('not') + determinatus, past participle of determinare ('to bound, limit'), from de- (intensive) + terminare ('to mark the end'), from terminus ('boundary').

terminare Latin terminus Latin *ter- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# indeterminate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌɪndɪˈtɜrmɪnət/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌɪndɪˈtɜːmɪnət/

## Meanings
1. not exactly known, established, or fixed in nature or extent

## Examples
- The painting was by an artist of indeterminate origin.

## Synonyms
- undefined
- uncertain
- vague
- indefinite
- unspecified
- ambiguous

## Antonyms
- determinate
- definite
- fixed
- certain

## Derived Forms
- indeterminately
- indeterminacy

## Related Forms
- determinate
- determine
- determination
- term

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: terminare
- Root: terminus
- Root: *ter-

## Etymology
From Late Latin indeterminatus, from in- ('not') + determinatus, past participle of determinare ('to bound, limit'), from de- (intensive) + terminare ('to mark the end'), from terminus ('boundary').

## AI Etymology
Indeterminate comes from Late Latin indeterminatus, from in- ('not') + determinatus, past participle of determinare ('to bound, limit'), from de- (intensive) + terminare ('to mark the end'), from terminus ('boundary'). The prefix supplies the first semantic turn, while the base carries the lexical core of the word. As an adjective, it carries the sense "not exactly known, established, or fixed in nature or extent", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Latin terminare, Latin terminus, and Proto-Indo-European *ter-. Derivative forms include indeterminately, indeterminacy; related words include determinate, determine, determination, term.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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