random

[ ran-duhm ]

adjective

1. proceeding, made, or occurring without definite aim, reason, or pattern:

   the random selection of numbers.

   Synonyms: fortuitous, chance, haphazard

2. Statistics. of or characterizing a process of selection in which each item of a set has an equal probability of being chosen.
3. Building Trades.
   1. (of building materials) lacking uniformity of dimensions:

      random shingles.

   2. (of ashlar) laid without continuous courses.
   3. constructed or applied without regularity:

      random bond.

4. Slang.
   1. unknown, unidentified, or suspiciously out of place:

      A couple of random guys showed up at the party.

   2. odd or unpredictable, often in an amusing way:

      my totally random life.

noun

1. something that is random, or a random state or condition:

   different statistical methods used to estimate randoms.

2. Slang.
   1. a person or thing that is unknown, unidentified, or suspiciously out of place.
   2. a person or thing that is odd or unpredictable.
3. Chiefly British. bank ³( def 7b ).

adverb

1. Building Trades. without uniformity:

   random-sized slates.

random

/ ˈrændəm /

adjective

1. lacking any definite plan or prearranged order; haphazard

   a random selection

2. statistics
   1. having a value which cannot be determined but only described probabilistically

      a random variable

   2. chosen without regard to any characteristics of the individual members of the population so that each has an equal chance of being selected

      random sampling

3. informal.
   (of a person) unknown

   some random guy waiting for a bus

noun

1. at random
   in a purposeless fashion; not following any prearranged order

random

/ răn′dəm /

1. Relating to a type of circumstance or event that is described by a probability distribution.
2. Relating to an event in which all outcomes are equally likely, as in the testing of a blood sample for the presence of a substance.

Derived Forms

• ˈrandomness, noun
• ˈrandomly, adverb

Other Words From

• ran·dom·ly adverb
• ran·dom·ness noun
• non·ran·dom adjective
• non·ran·dom·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of random¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English raundon, random, from Old French randon, derivative of randir “to gallop,” from Germanic

Word History and Origins

Origin of random¹

C14: from Old French randon , from randir to gallop, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German rinnan to run

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. at random, without definite aim, purpose, method, or adherence to a prior arrangement; in a haphazard way:

   Contestants were chosen at random from the studio audience.

More idioms and phrases containing random

see at random .

Example Sentences

This is the third seemingly random attack on crowds in China in a week.

From BBC

The researchers did not select the drug at random: this study followed comprehensive analyses of genome data in order to find starting points for repurposing established drugs.

From Science Daily

Reflected, back-scattered photons return from the target object carrying speckle noise, a random type of flaw that occurs in imagery.

From Science Daily

“Random — that’s the word I’m looking for. … It is truly random.”

From Los Angeles Times

I stayed in Hawaii and worked random jobs at a sandwich shop and a hotel.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• accidental
• aimless
• arbitrary
• incidental
• indiscriminate
• irregular
• odd
• unplanned