indefinite

English

Etymology

From Late Latin indēfīnītus.

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪnˈdɛfɪnɪt/

Adjective

indefinite (comparative more indefinite, superlative most indefinite)

Without limit; forever, or until further notice; not definite.
Vague or unclear.
Undecided or uncertain.
(mathematics) Being an integral without specified limits.
(linguistics) Designating an unspecified or unidentified person or thing or group of persons or things
the indefinite article

Synonyms

(without limit): unlimited, unrestricted
(vague or unclear): hazy; see also Thesaurus:indistinct or Thesaurus:vague
(undecided or uncertain): indeterminate, unsettled, indecisive, unsure
(an integral without specified limits):
(designating an unspecified thing):

Derived terms

Related terms

indeterminate

Translations

without limit; forever, or until further notice; not definite

Bulgarian: неограничен (bg) (neograničen)
Catalan: indefinit (ca)
Czech: neurčitý
Danish: ubestemt (da)
Finnish: epämääräinen (fi), ääretön (fi), määrittelemätön
Greek: αόριστος (el) m (aóristos), ακαθόριστος (el) m (akathóristos)
Hungarian: határozatlan (hu), korlátlan (hu)

Italian: indefinito (it)
Latin: indēfīnītus
Polish: nieokreślony (pl) m, nieograniczony (pl) m
Romansch: indefinit
Russian: неограни́ченный (ru) (neograníčennyj), бесконе́чный (ru) (beskonéčnyj), безграни́чный (ru) (bezgraníčnyj)
Swedish: obestämd (sv)
Tagalog: dituring

vague or unclear

Bulgarian: неясен (bg) (nejasen)
Catalan: indefinit (ca)
Czech: neurčitý
Danish: uklar
Finnish: epämääräinen (fi), ylimalkainen (fi)
Greek: αόριστος (el) m (aóristos)

Hungarian: bizonytalan (hu)
Italian: indefinito (it)
Navajo: haashį́į́
Polish: nieokreślony (pl) m, niewyraźny (pl) m
Russian: неопределённый (ru) (neopredeljónnyj), нея́сный (ru) (nejásnyj)
Swedish: oklar (sv)

undecided or uncertain

Bulgarian: неопределен (bg) (neopredelen)
Catalan: indefinit (ca)
Danish: ubestemt (da)
Finnish: epämääräinen (fi), epävarma (fi)
Greek: ακαθόριστος (el) m (akathóristos)
Hungarian: bizonytalan (hu)

Italian: indefinito (it)
Latvian: nenoteikts
Navajo: haashį́į́
Russian: неопределённый (ru) (neopredeljónnyj)
Swedish: obestämd (sv)

an integral without specified limits

Bulgarian: неопределен (bg) (neopredelen)
Catalan: indefinit (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 不定 (zh)
Danish: ubestemt (da)
Finnish: määrittelemätön

Hungarian: határozatlan (hu)
Japanese: 不定 (ja) (futei)
Polish: nieoznaczona f
Russian: неопределённый (ru) (neopredeljónnyj)
Swedish: obestämd (sv)

(linguistics) designating an unspecified or unidentified person or thing

Arabic: نَكِرَة‎ f (nakira)
Bulgarian: неопределителен (neopredelitelen)
Catalan: indefinit (ca)

Hungarian: határozatlan (hu)
Swedish: obestämd (sv)

Noun

indefinite (plural indefinites)

(grammar) A word or phrase that designates an unspecified or unidentified person or thing or group of persons or things.

Italian

Adjective

indefinite f pl

Feminine plural of adjective indefinito.

Latin

Adjective

indēfīnīte

vocative masculine singular of indēfīnītus

References

indefinite in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
indefinite in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette

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