indeterminate
lacking precision or clarity; not known in advance: an indeterminate amount of time
Not to be confused with:
indeterminable – incapable of being ascertained, measured, or fixed; incapable of being decided: an indeterminable conflict
interminable – boringly protracted; unending; incessant: interminable whining
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
in·de·ter·mi·nate
(ĭn′dĭ-tûr′mə-nĭt)adj.
1.
a. Not precisely determined, determinable, or established: a person of indeterminate age.
b. Not precisely fixed, as to extent, size, nature, or number: an indeterminate number of plant species in the jungle.
c. Lacking clarity or precision, as in meaning; vague: an indeterminate turn of phrase.
d. Not fixed or known in advance: an indeterminate future.
e. Not leading up to a definite result or ending: an indeterminate campaign.
2. Botany Not terminating in a flower and continuing to grow at the apex: an indeterminate inflorescence.
3. Mathematics Having more than one variable and an infinite number of solutions, such as the equation 5x2 + 3y = 10.
[Middle English, from Latin indēterminātus : in-, not; see in-1 + dēterminātus, determined; see determinate.]
in′de·ter′mi·nate·ly adv.
in′de·ter′mi·nate·ness, in′de·ter′mi·na′tion (-nā′shən) n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
indeterminate
(ˌɪndɪˈtɜːmɪnɪt)adj
1. uncertain in extent, amount, or nature
2. not definite; inconclusive: an indeterminate reply.
3. unable to be predicted, calculated, or deduced
4. (General Physics) physics (of an effect) not obeying the law of causality; noncausal
5. (Mathematics) maths
a. having no numerical meaning, as 0.00 or 0/0
b. (of an equation) having more than one variable and an unlimited number of solutions
6. (Botany) botany another word for indefinite4
7. (General Engineering) (of a structure, framework, etc) comprising forces that cannot be fully analysed, esp by vector analysis
ˌindeˈterminacy, ˌindeˌtermiˈnation, ˌindeˈterminateness n
ˌindeˈterminately adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
in•de•ter•mi•nate
(ˌɪn dɪˈtɜr mə nɪt)adj.
1. not precisely fixed or determined; vague.
2. not settled in advance.
3. Math.
a. (of a quantity) undefined, as 0/0.
b. (of an equation) able to be satisfied by more than one value for each unknown.
4. (of an inflorescence) having the axis or axes not ending in a flower or bud.
[1350–1400; < Late Latin]
in`de•ter′mi•nate•ly, adv.
in`de•ter`mi•na′tion (-ˈneɪ ʃən) n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
| Adj. | 1. |  indeterminate - not precisely determined or established; not fixed or known in advance; "of indeterminate age"; "a zillion is a large indeterminate number"; "an indeterminate point of law"; "the influence of environment is indeterminate"; "an indeterminate future"uncertain - not established beyond doubt; still undecided or unknown; "an uncertain future"; "a manuscript of uncertain origin"; "plans are still uncertain"; "changes of great if uncertain consequences"; "without further evidence his story must remain uncertain" inconclusive - not conclusive; not putting an end to doubt or question; "an inconclusive reply"; "inconclusive evidence"; "the inconclusive committee vote" indeterminable, undeterminable - not capable of being definitely decided or ascertained determinate - precisely determined or limited or defined; especially fixed by rule or by a specific and constant cause; "a determinate distance"; "a determinate number"; "determinate variations in animals" |
| 2. | indeterminate - having a capacity for continuing to grow at the apex; "an indeterminate stem" determinate - not continuing to grow indefinitely at the apex; "determinate growth" | |
| 3. | indeterminate - of uncertain or ambiguous nature; "the equivocal (or indeterminate) objects painted by surrealists" ambiguous, equivocal - open to two or more interpretations; or of uncertain nature or significance; or (often) intended to mislead; "an equivocal statement"; "the polling had a complex and equivocal (or ambiguous) message for potential female candidates"; "the officer's equivocal behavior increased the victim's uneasiness"; "popularity is an equivocal crown"; "an equivocal response to an embarrassing question" | |
| 4. | indeterminate - not capable of being determined; "the indeterminate number of plant species in the jungle" indeterminable, undeterminable - not capable of being definitely decided or ascertained | |
| 5. | indeterminate - not leading to a definite ending or result; "an indeterminate campaign" inconclusive - not conclusive; not putting an end to doubt or question; "an inconclusive reply"; "inconclusive evidence"; "the inconclusive committee vote" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
indeterminate
adjective uncertain, indefinite, unspecified, vague, inconclusive, imprecise, undefined, undetermined, inexact, unfixed, unstipulated I hope to carry on for an indeterminate period.
fixed, exact, precise, clear, certain, specified, definite, stipulated, conclusive, determinate
fixed, exact, precise, clear, certain, specified, definite, stipulated, conclusive, determinate
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
indeterminate
adjective1. Not affording certainty:
ambiguous, borderline, chancy, clouded, doubtful, dubious, dubitable, equivocal, inconclusive, indecisive, problematic, problematical, questionable, uncertain, unclear, unsure.
Informal: iffy.
Idioms: at issue, in doubt, in question.
2. Lacking precise limits:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
indeterminate
adj amount, length → unbestimmt; duration also → ungewiss; meaning, concept → unklar, vage; of indeterminate sex/age → von unbestimmbarem or nicht bestimmbarem Geschlecht/Alter
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
indeterminate
[ˌɪndɪˈtɜːmɪnɪt] adj (gen) → indeterminato/a, indefinito/a; (plans, ideas) → indefinito/a, vago/aCollins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
indeterminate
a. indeterminado-a, desconocido-a.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012