random number generator

[ ran-duhm nuhm-ber jen-uh--rey-ter ]

noun

, Computers.

1. a computer algorithm that generates a random or pseudorandom number or symbol. : RNG

Word History and Origins

Origin of random number generator¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Was it all a hoax, generated by charlatans sitting down with a list of medical conditions and a random number generator?

From New York Times

There will be 20 drawings through Labor Day using a random number generator to select winners for a total of $1 million in scholarship prizes.

From Washington Times

The names were actually drawn Monday using a random number generator, to leave time to confirm recipients’ eligibility.

From Seattle Times

It turned to its own patients who were 65 and older and prioritized them based on a random number generator.

From Washington Times

The program, which checked the output of a random number generator, was of limited practical value and did not prove that the company’s machine could do anything useful, critics said.

From Scientific American