indeterminateadj.n.
/ɪndɪˈtəːmɪnət/ Not determined; undetermined.† 1. Not definitely set down; undetermined: cf. determinate adj. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > insecure knowledge, uncertainty > [adjective] > obscure, vague
cloudyc1400
indeterminatec1400
diffuse1430
diffused?1456
obscure?a1475
infinite1520
ambiguous1529
indistincta1530
nubilous1533
dark1557
undetermined1588
undefinite1589
undeterminate1603
indetermined1611
undefined1611
suspense1624
umbrageous1635
clouded1641
undeterminated1641
fuliginous1646
implicit1660
vague1690
diffusive1709
nubilose1730
foggy1737
unliquidated1780
hazy1781
indecisive1815
nebulous1817
penumbral1819
aoristic1846
scumbled1868
nubiform1873
out-of-focus1891
fuzzy1937
soft focus1938
c1400 ( G. Chaucer Treat. Astrolabe (Cambr. Dd.3.53) (1872) ii. §17. 27 (heading) To knowe the verrey degree of any maner sterre..thow he be indeterminat in thin astralabie.
2.
a. Not fixed in extent, number, character or nature; left uncertain as to limits of extent, number, etc.; of uncertain size or character; indefinite, indistinct, uncertain.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > insecure knowledge, uncertainty > questionable state or quality > state of being unprovable > [adjective] > uncertain in scope
uncertain1303
indeterminate1603
uncast1606
uncounted1783
uncalculated1884
uncomputed1885
1603 P. Holland tr. Plutarch Morals 1334 This indeterminate and troublesome infinity.
1651 T. Hobbes Leviathan ii. xxviii. 163 An indeterminate, that is to say, an arbitrary Punishment.
1662 E. Stillingfleet Origines Sacræ iii. ii. §9 Numenius..condemns all those, as not understanding Pythagoras, who attribute to him the production of the indeterminate Hyle.
1722 W. Wollaston Relig. of Nature ii. 33 For time, as well as space, is capable of indeterminate division.
1774 J. Bryant New Syst. (new ed.) I. 226 Can we believe that they would..choose for a characteristic what was so general and indeterminate?
1782 W. F. Martyn Geogr. Mag. 1 728 Empires of great extent but indeterminate limits.
1816 R. Jameson Treat. External Characters Minerals (ed. 2) 108 The eight and nine sided prisms afford only accidental or indeterminate varieties.
1831 R. Knox tr. H. Cloquet Syst. Human Anat. (ed. 2) 702 This artery gives off twigs of indeterminate number.
1885 J. Martineau Types Ethical Theory II. 6 Would it be better..to blur into an indeterminate mess perception, reasoning, imagination, passion?
b. Of statements, thoughts, words, etc.: Not clear and definite; wanting in precision; vague.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > [adjective] > not specified > indefinite
gross1534
indefinite1561
indefinitive1598
general1601
loose1609
undetermined1611
vaguea1661
indeterminate1773
tenuousa1817
vaguish1818
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > obscurity > [adjective] > vague or inexplicit
oblique?a1475
overthwart1545
indirect1584
slenting1642
undeterminate1649
vaguea1661
wide1662
indeterminate1773
unexplicit1775
nebulose1799
imprecise1805
misty1816
nebulous1817
inexplicit1827
fuzzy1937
soft-focused1942
wifty-wafty1943
1773 J. Bryant New Syst. I. 498 His account is very indeterminate and obscure.
1874 W. S. Jevons Princ. Sci. I. 49 Some is an indeterminate adjective; it implies unknown qualities..but gives no hint as to their nature.
1878 C. Stanford Symbols Christ (new ed.) iii. 69 Too often the term ‘Angel’ has for us a cloudy and indeterminate meaning.
c. Mathematics. Of a quantity: Not limited to a fixed value or number of values. (Also absol. as n.) Of a problem: Having an unlimited number of solutions. Also (in Engineering), of a structure or its stresses, = hyperstatic adj. at hyper- prefix 4): usually qualified by statically. indeterminate analysis, the branch of analysis which deals with the solution of indeterminate problems; method of indeterminate coefficients (more properly of undetermined coefficients), a method of analysis invented by Descartes; indeterminate equation, an equation in which the unknown quantities are indeterminate; indeterminate form, a form consisting of two indeterminate quantities; indeterminate series, a series whose terms proceed by the powers of an indeterminate quantity.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > mathematical number or quantity > [adjective] > describing particular qualities > indefinite
and odda1438
and odd1634
infinite1660
indeterminate1706
indetermined1706
society > occupation and work > industry > building or constructing > that which is built or constructed > [adjective] > type of structure
indeterminate1905
hyperstatic1930
1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) at Problem Such an one as is capable of an infinite number of different solutions..is..called an indeterminate Problem.
1795 C. Hutton Math. & Philos. Dict. at Series Indeterminate Series is one whose terms proceed by the powers of an indeterminate quantity x.
1806 C. Hutton Course Math. (ed. 5) I. 131 It is obvious..that questions of this sort admit of a great variety of answers..These kinds of questions are called by algebraists indeterminate or unlimited problems.
1816 tr. S. F. Lacroix Elem. Treat. Differential & Integral Calculus 143 We may take the successive differentials, by making those of the two indeterminates, which are considered as functions of the third, vary at the same time.
1819 J. Playfair Outl. Nat. Philos. (ed. 3) I. 27 No one of them can be indeterminate, or can admit of innumerable values, otherwise V itself would be indeterminate.
1841 J. R. Young Math Diss. ii. 34 The equation..becomes indeterminate, and capable of an infinite number of different values.
1882 G. M. Minchin Uniplanar Kinematics 211 At each of these points the value of ψ is indeterminate.
1905 I. Hiroi (title) The statically-indeterminate stresses in frames commonly used for bridges.
1919 A. J. S. Pippard & J. L. Pritchard Aeroplane Struct. xxii. 280 The principle of Least Work..enables the engineer to find the stresses in structures which are statically indeterminate, i.e. in structures with too many members.
1926 J. A. Parcel & G. A. Maney Elem. Treat. Statically Indeterminate Stresses p. v This book has grown out of the authors' needs in teaching the subject of Indeterminate Structures during the past fifteen years.
1963 D. A. Firmage Fund. Theory of Struct. v. 118 A truss can..be determinate, indeterminate, or unstable with respect to the system of bars.
1964 J. H. Faupel Engin. Design ii. 130 In a statically indeterminate system the basic equations of statics (ΣF and ΣM = o) are insufficient for obtaining a solution.
d. Botany (a) = indefinite adj. 5a; (b) of æstivation: see quot. 1880.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > part of plant > reproductive part(s) > flower or part containing reproductive organs > inflorescence or collective flower > [adjective] > having particular shape, type, or arrangement > of or bearing cymes or racemes
racemiferous1656
racemose1698
biparous1731
racemous1757
racemed1787
unilateral1802
cymose1807
uniparous1839
indeterminate1842
indefinite1876
botrycymose1879
botryose1879
the world > plants > part of plant > reproductive part(s) > flower or part containing reproductive organs > [adjective] > of flower-bud or aestivation
quincuncial1672
valvate1829
induplicate1830
supervolute1832
vexillary1832
quincunxial1835
reduplicate1838
supervolutive1841
reduplicative1856
induplicative1864
indeterminate1880
1842 W. T. Brande Dict. Sci., Lit. & Art 594/1 Indeterminate,..when a stem is never terminated by a flower, nor has its growth stopped by any other organic cause.
1880 A. Gray Struct. Bot. iv. §2. 134 The æstivation is said to be Open or Indeterminate, when the parts do not come into contact in the bud, so as to cover those within. The most familiar case is that of the petals of Mignonette.
e. indeterminate sentence, a sentence in a criminal case which leaves the prisoner's release dependent on his conduct and on the probability of his amendment; indeterminate vowel, the ‘obscure’ vowel /ə/, mid-mixed-wide; = sheva n. 2.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > punishment > imprisonment > [noun] > sentence or term of > indeterminate
indeterminate sentence1873
the mind > language > linguistics > study of speech sound > speech sound > vowel > [noun] > types of
naso-vocal1669
sheva1818
union vowel1821
shut sound1841
cardinal vowel1851
u-sound1852
neutral vowel1868
O1869
wide1870
vincular1871
indeterminate vowel1873
u-vowel1886
orinasal1887
pharyngal1887
glide-vowel1888
schwa1895
murmur vowel1910
murmured vowel1933
1873 E. C. Wines Rep. Internat. Penitentiary Congr. 1872 xxxviii. 273 It is extremely doubtful whether society will, or could, ever become reconciled to so great a change on the sudden as that from determinate to wholly indeterminate sentences.
1888 J. E. King & C. Cookson Princ. Sound & Inflexion Greek & Lat. 70 The same indeterminate vowel appears in Sk., where it is called a svarabhakti vowel.
1894 W. M. Lindsay Lat. Lang. 257 The obscure or indeterminate vowel (like the Hebrew sheva).
1962 Listener 15 Feb. 290/1 Indeterminate sentences have been common in western Europe and the United States for some time.
1972 N.Y. Law Jrnl. 14 Nov. 6/5 People, &c., v. Manuel Santos—Indeterminate sentence.
3. Not fixed or established; uncertain.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > insecure knowledge, uncertainty > questionable state or quality > state of being unprovable > [adjective] > not investigated or explained
undiscovereda1542
uncleared1592
uncertain1617
indeterminate1626
uncircumstantial1646
unfathomed1659
unexcussed1660
unanalysed1754
uncircumstanced1766
unaccreditated1806
unelucidateda1832
undescribed1852
1626 F. Bacon Sylua Syluarum §698 The Insecta haue Voluntarie Motion.. And whereas some of the Ancients haue said, that their Motion is Indeterminate, and their Imagination Indefinite, it is negligently obserued.
1838 W. H. Prescott Hist. Reign Ferdinand & Isabella I. i. vi. 194 The place of its sittings, before indeterminate..was fixed at Valladolid.
1842 E. A. Poe Myst. Marie Rogêt in Wks. (1864) I. 233 The period of their rising is, and necessarily must be indeterminate.
1876 ‘G. Eliot’ Daniel Deronda I. i. vii. 118 It [harvest] lies all underground, with an indeterminate future.
4. Not settled or decided; left doubtful.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > insecure knowledge, uncertainty > questionable state or quality > [adjective] > undecided, unsettled
openlOE
undiscussedc1340
unassoiled1387
undetermined1442
unruled1456
unabsoiled1521
undecised1528
undecided1540
unresolved1565
suspensive1575
unprejudged1641
unaccorded1645
indeterminate1656
unagreed1661
unabsolved1721
undeterminate1767
unsettled1844
meedless1896
1656 T. Stanley Hist. Philos. II. v. 83 Indeterminate is that which is in our power, and to which part soever it enclineth, will be true or false.
1678 A. Marvell Def. John Howe in Wks. (1875) IV. 201 So it will be too if God be to determine it, indeterminate till he have determined it.
1783 W. F. Martyn Geogr. Mag. 2 65 This court, where the law is silent or indeterminate, has a decisive voice.
1872 J. Yeats Growth Commerce 216 Meanwhile several millions sterlng had been wasted by both companies in indeterminate conflicts.
5. Not determined by motives (regarded as external forces); acting freely.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > free will > [adjective] > exercising or capable of free will
freeeOE
activea1398
indetermined1628
volent1654
undeterminate1668
free-willing1675
autexousious1678
free-willed1678
automatous1732
spontaneous1732
indeterminate1836
1836 J. Gilbert Christian Atonem. iv. 135 This characteristic of moral action, its indeterminate working.
a1871 G. Grote Fragm. Ethical Subj. ii In positive morality, the mandate is conceived as emanating from an indeterminate superior.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1900; most recently modified version published online March 2020).
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adj.n.c1400