quword 趣词
Word Origins Dictionary
- arbitrary[arbitrary 词源字典]
- arbitrary: [15] Arbitrary comes ultimately from Latin arbiter ‘judge’, via the derived adjective arbitrārius. It originally meant ‘decided by one’s own discretion or judgment’, and has since broadened, and ‘worsened’, in meaning to ‘capricious’. The Latin noun has of course contributed a large number of other words to English, including arbiter [15] itself, arbitrate [16] (via the Latin verb arbitrārī), and arbitrament [14]. Arbitrage in the sense ‘buying and selling shares to make a profit’ is a 19thcentury borrowing from French, where it means literally ‘arbitration’.
=> arbitrate[arbitrary etymology, arbitrary origin, 英语词源] - arbitrary (adj.)
- early 15c., "deciding by one's own discretion," from Old French arbitraire (14c.) or directly from Latin arbitrarius "depending on the will, uncertain," from arbiter (see arbiter). The original meaning gradually descended to "capricious" and "despotic" (1640s). Related: Arbitrarily; arbitrariness.