random

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Happening or chosen without any plan, pattern, or reason.

   The winners were picked in a random draw.

2. 2
   adj

   Having an outcome that cannot be predicted, where each result is equally likely.

   Tossing a coin gives a random result each time.

3. 3
   noun

   An unknown or unimportant person.

   The party was full of randoms I'd never met before.

Common collocations

• random act Adjective + noun

From earlier randon, from Middle English randoun, raundon, from Old French randon, from randir (“to run, gallop”) (whence French randonnée (“long walk, hike”)), from Frankish *randiju (“a run, race”) or Old Norse rend (“a run, race”), both from Proto-Germanic *randijō, from *rinnaną (“run”, verb), from Proto-Indo-European *(H)r̥-nw- (“to flow, move, run”). Cognate with Middle Low German uprinden (“to jump up”), Danish rende (“to run”). See run.

Topics