Arbitrary

ar;bi;trary pronunciation: function: adjective date: 15th century 1 : depending on individual discretion (as of a judge) and not fixed by law lt;the manner of punishment is arbitrarygt;2 a : not restrained or limited in the exercise of power : ruling by absolute authority lt;an arbitrary governmentgt; b : marked by or resulting from the unrestrained and often tyrannical exercise of power lt;protection from arbitrary arrest and detentiongt;3 a : based on or determined by individual preference or convenience rather than by necessity or the intrinsic nature of something lt;an arbitrary standardgt; lt;take any arbitrary positive numbergt; lt;arbitrary division of historical studies into watertight compartments — a. j. toynbeegt; b : existing or coming about seemingly at random or by chance or as a capricious and unreasonable act of will lt;when a task is not seen in a meaningful context it is experienced as being arbitrary — nehemiah jordangt;— ar;bi;trari;ly adverb — ar;bi;trar;i;ness noun