Indeterminate definition
Not determinate.
- Inexact in its limits, nature, etc.; indefinite; uncertain; vague.An indeterminate amount.
- Not yet settled, concluded, or known; doubtful or inconclusive.
adjective
(botany) Not terminating in a flower and continuing to grow at the apex.
An indeterminate inflorescence.
adjective
Not precisely fixed, as to extent, size, nature, or number.
An indeterminate number of plant species in the jungle.
adjective
The definition of indeterminate is something vague or not established.
When no one is sure what caused a fire to start, this is an example of when the cause is indeterminate.
When you add a pinch of sugar to a recipe but there's no set amount, this is an example of when the amount is indeterminate.
When a person is on probation until his behavior indicates he has become a law abiding citizen, this is an example of an indeterminate sentence.
adjective
Not precisely determined, determinable, or established.
A person of indeterminate age.
adjective
Advertisement
Lacking clarity or precision, as in meaning; vague.
An indeterminate turn of phrase.
adjective
Not fixed or known in advance.
An indeterminate future.
adjective
Not leading up to a definite result or ending.
An indeterminate campaign.
adjective
Continuing to grow at the apical meristem or the terminal bud indefinitely, allowing for the development of an ever-increasing number of plant organs such as leaves, stems, or flowers to the side.
Advertisement
Advertisement
(mathematics) Having more than one variable and an infinite number of solutions, such as the equation 5 x2 + 3 y = 10.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Noun
Singular:
indeterminate
Plural:
indeterminatesOrigin of indeterminate
- Middle English from Latin indēterminātus in- not in–1 dēterminātus determined determinate
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition