indeterminate
adjective
in·de·ter·mi·nate
| \ ˌin-di-ˈtərm-nət
, -ˈtər-mə-\
, -ˈtər-mə-\
Definition of indeterminate
1a
: not definitely or precisely determined or fixed : vague
b
: not known in advance
c
: not leading to a definite end or result
2
: having an infinite number of solutions
a system of indeterminate equations
3
: being one of the seven undefined mathematical expressions {latex}\frac{0}{0}, \frac{\infty}{\infty}, \infty \cdot 0, 1^{\infty}, 0^{0}, \infty^{0}, \infty - \infty{/latex}
4
: characterized by sequential flowering from the lateral or basal buds to the central or uppermost buds
also
: characterized by growth in which the main stem continues to elongate indefinitely without being limited by a terminal inflorescence — compare determinate sense 4
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Other Words from indeterminate
indeterminately
adverb
indeterminateness
noun
indetermination
\ ˌin-di-ˌtər-mə-ˈnā-shən
\
noun
\
noun
Examples of indeterminate in a Sentence
an indeterminate number of people
Recent Examples on the Web
That glorious season of fresh pencils and new beginnings, when your kid’s clothes aren’t yet covered in unsightly stains of indeterminate origin, and anything seems possible. — Yvonne Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, "This school year is going to be totally different, I swear!," 28 Aug. 2019 The latest revelation involves a massive painting showing a young woman of indeterminate age wearing a wedding ring and cuddled up beside a roaring big cat. — Fox News, "Overstock CEO resigns amid ties to Russia probe, says he received 'fishy orders' from ex-FBI official Strzok," 23 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'indeterminate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for indeterminate
indeterminate
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of indeterminate
formal
: not able to be stated or described in an exact way
See the full definition for indeterminate in the English Language Learners Dictionary
indeterminate
adjective
in·de·ter·mi·nate
| \ ˌin-di-ˈtərm-(ə-)nət
\
\
Medical Definition of indeterminate
: relating to, being, or undergoing indeterminate cleavage
an indeterminate egg
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