indefinite Hear it!

indefinite definition

in·defi·nite (in def′ə nit)

adjective

not definite; specif.,
  1. having no exact limits or having no limits at all
  2. not precise or clear in meaning; vague
  3. not sharp or clear in outline; blurred; indistinct
  4. not sure or positive; uncertain
  5. Bot. of no fixed number, or too many to count: said of the stamens, etc. of certain flowers
  6. Gram. not limiting or specifying; not referring to a specific or previously identified person, thing, etc. “a” and “an” are indefinite articles; “any” is an indefinite pronoun

Etymology: L indefinitus

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

indefinite Synonyms

indefinite

modif.

  1. Vague

    imprecise, indistinct, unsure, unsettled; see doubtful 1, uncertain 2, vague 2.

  2. Unlimited

    indeterminate, unspecified, innumerable; see infinite 1, unlimited.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

indefinite Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • grant: The Home Office either grants Indefinite Leave to Remain ( ILR ) or Humanitarian Protection to the asylum seeker.

Used with adjective complement

  • make: The conditions could remain for any period of time from a minimum of two years and could be made indefinite.

Modifies a noun

  • detention: The ultimate effect of the measure is to permit the indefinite detention without charge of foreign nationals.

Modifying Another Word

  • almost: It's a way of extending the life of games for an almost indefinite period of time.

Preposition: in

  • term: As noted in the text below, it treats accommodation agreements as indefinite in term.
indefinite usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

Link to this page:

Cite this page:

MLA Style

"indefinite." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/indefinite>

APA Style

indefinite. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/indefinite

Comments:

Please or Register to post a comment