random

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

• enPR: răn'dəm, IPA: /ˈrændəm/, SAMPA: /"r{nd@m/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

[edit] Etymology

From Old French randon, from randir (“‘to gallop’”) ( > French randonnée (“‘long walk’”)), from Frankish *rant (“‘a running’”), see run. Used in English since the 14th Century.

[edit] Adjective

random (comparative more random, superlative most random)

1. All outcomes being unpredictable and, in the ideal case, equally probable; resulting from such selection; lacking statistical correlation.

   The flip of a fair coin is purely random.

   The newspaper conducted a random sample of five hundred American teenagers.

   The results of the field survey look random by several different measures.

2. (mathematics) Of or relating to probability distribution.

   A toss of loaded dice is still random, though biased.

3. (computing) Pseudorandom in contrast to truly random; mimicking the result of random selection.

   The rand function generates a random number from a seed.

4. (colloquial) Representative and undistinguished; typical and average.

   A random American off the street couldn't tell the difference.

5. (colloquial) Apropos of nothing; lacking context; unexpected; having apparent lack of plan, cause, or reason.

   That was a completely random comment.

   The teacher's bartending story was interesting, but random.

   The narrative takes a random course.

[edit] See also

• at random

[edit] Derived terms

• randomise
• randomize
• randomness

[edit] Translations

[edit] External links

• Randomness on Wikipedia.Wikipedia:Randomness

[edit] Noun

random (plural randoms)

1. (figuratively, colloquial) An undefined, unknown or unimportant person; a person of no consequence.

   The party was boring. It was full of randoms.

[edit] Synonyms

• arbitrary
• stochastic

[edit] Translations

[edit] Compounds

• at random
• randomnitude
• randomology
• randomosity
• non-random
• pseudorandom
• random number