INDETERMINATE

indeterminate

(adjective) not leading to a definite ending or result; “an indeterminate campaign”

indeterminate

(adjective) (of a quantity) having no definite value, as an equation that cannot be solved; “0/0 is an indeterminate form”

indeterminate, undetermined

(adjective) not precisely determined or established; not fixed or known in advance; “of indeterminate age”; “a zillion is a large indeterminate number”; “an indeterminate point of law”; “the influence of environment is indeterminate”; “an indeterminate future”

indeterminate

(adjective) having a capacity for continuing to grow at the apex; “an indeterminate stem”

indeterminate

(adjective) of uncertain or ambiguous nature; “the equivocal (or indeterminate) objects painted by surrealists”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Adjective

indeterminate (comparative more indeterminate, superlative most indeterminate)

Not accurately determined or determinable.

Imprecise or vague.

(mathematics, of certain forms of limit) Not definitively or precisely determined, because of the presence of infinity or zero symbols used in any of several improper combinations.

(biology, of growth) With no genetically defined end, and thus theoretically limitless.

(botany, of inflorescences) Not topped with some form of terminal bud.

Intersex.

(architecture) Designed to allow the incorporation of future changes whose nature is not yet known.

Synonyms

• indeterminant

Antonyms

• determinate

Source: Wiktionary

In`de*ter"mi*nate, a. Etym: [L. indeterminatus.]

Definition: Not determinate; not certain or fixed; indefinite; not precise; as, an indeterminate number of years. Paley. Indeterminate analysis (Math.), that branch of analysis which has for its object the solution of indeterminate problems.

– Indeterminate coefficients (Math.), coefficients arbitrarily assumed for convenience of calculation, or to facilitate some artifice of analysis. Their values are subsequently determined.

– Indeterminate equation (Math.), an equation in which the unknown quantities admit of an infinite number of values, or sets of values. A group of equations is indeterminate when it contains more unknown quantities than there are equations.

– Indeterminate inflorescence (Bot.), a mode of inflorescence in which the flowers all arise from axillary buds, the terminal bud going on to grow and sometimes continuing the stem indefinitely; -- called also acropetal, botryose, centripetal, and indefinite inflorescence. Gray.

– Indeterminate problem (Math.), a problem which admits of an infinite number of solutions, or one in which there are fewer imposed conditions than there are unknown or required results.

– Indeterminate quantity (Math.), a quantity which has no fixed value, but which may be varied in accordance with any proposed condition.

– Indeterminate series (Math.), a series whose terms proceed by the powers of an indeterminate quantity, sometimes also with indeterminate exponents, or indeterminate coefficients.

– In`de*ter"mi*nate*ly adv.

– In`de*ter"mi*nate*ness, n.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition