Randomize

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To modify the arrangement of elements in a way that ensures unpredictability and variety among them
2. To alter the sequence of items so their order cannot be easily anticipated
3. To rearrange parts in a non-systematic way that results in a varied and uncertain pattern

Etymology: Medieval French had a word, "randon," for a headlong gallop or the rushing force of a torrent. It came from a Frankish verb connected to running, and English borrowed it as "random." For a long time, "at random" meant at full speed and heedlessly, with no fixed aim. The modern sense of choosing without pattern grew out of that unaimed motion. The verb adds the suffix "-ize" to that noun. The ending goes back to the Ancient Greek suffix "-izein," which Latin turned into "-izare," and which passed into English through French. So the word combines an old image of reckless speed with a Greek-derived ending meaning roughly "to make into."

Synonyms: shuffle, mix

Antonyms: organize, order