Aleatory

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈeɪ.lɪ.ə.tə.ɹi/

Definitions

1. Depending on or determined by chance rather than by design or skill
2. governed by random chance or unpredictable outcomes rather than deliberate planning or control
3. involving elements of luck or randomness that cannot be foreseen or regulated by human intention

Etymology: Latin "ālea" meant "a die," the cube used in gambling, and a "dice-player" was "āleātor." From that noun came the adjective "āleātōrius," which described things related to gambling and games of chance. English took the word largely from that Latin adjective, so the connection to dice is built into its sense from the start. The word's meaning has stayed close to that gambling root. Something aleatory depends on chance rather than design, which is why the term appears in discussions of music and art where performers or creators leave outcomes to random processes. The sense of the word has been drawn from the game table into those wider settings, while the dice remain at its core.

Synonyms: contingent, dependent