LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neutersecond declension

arbitrium

arbitrium n (genitive arbitriī or arbitrī)
Classical[arˈbɪ.tri.ũː]Ecclesiastical[arˈbiː.tri.um]

Meaning

  1. neuterthe decision of an arbiter, arbitration
  2. neuterjudgement, decision, opinion
  3. neuterdiscretion, liberal decision; arbitrary decision, whim
  4. neutermastery, dominion, authority

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

voluntās, potestās dēcernendī
arbitrium -ī (n) — in Metamorphoses I, ch. 5, 22
iūdicium, potestās dēcernendī
arbitrium -ī (n) — in Aeneis, ch. 23

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativearbitriumarbitria
genitivearbitriī
arbitrī		arbitriōrum
dativearbitriōarbitriīs
accusativearbitriumarbitria
ablativearbitriōarbitriīs
vocativearbitriumarbitria

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

arbitratu, arbitrio tuo
just as you wish.
penes te arbitrium huius rei est
the decision of the question rests with you.
arbitrio alicuius omnia permittere
to put the matter entirely in some one's hands.
omnium rerum arbitrium alicui permittere
to put the matter entirely in some one's hands.
civitas, quae optimatium arbitrio regitur
aristocracy (as a form of government).
in existimantium arbitrium venire (Brut. 24. 92)
to come before the tribunal of the critics.
totum se fingere et accommodare ad alicuius arbitrium et nutum
to be at the beck and call of another; to be his creature.

arbī^trĭum (in good MSS. and inscrr. sometimes arbī^tērĭum), ii, n. from arbiter, as adulterium from adulter.
I. In gen., a coming near, a being present, presence; hence meton. for persons present (only in post-Aug. poets): locus ab omni liber arbitrio. Sen. Hippol. 602, and id. Herc. Oet. 485: divina rerum cura sine arbitrio est, Auct. Aetnae, 195.—
II. Esp.
A. 1.. The judgment, decision of an arbitrator (cf. arbiter, II.: arbitrium dicitur sententia, quae ab arbitro statuitur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 13 Müll.): aliud est judicium, aliud arbitrium. Judicium est pecuniae certae: arbitrium incertae, Cic. Rosc. Com. 4: Q. Scaevola summam vim dicebat esse in omnibus iis arbitriis, in quibus adderetur ex fide bonā, id. Off. 3, 17, 70; so, arbitrium rei uxoriae, id. ib. 3, 15; id. Top. 17, 66; cf. Dig. 24, 3, 66 fin.; 46, 3, 82 fin.; Cic. Rosc. Com. 9: arbitrium pro socio condemnari solerent, id. Quinct. 4, 13 B. and K. (here some consider arbitrium as a gloss, others read arbitrio, ad arbitrium, ad arbitrum, and the like; v. Orell. ad h. l.).—
2. Transf. from the sphere of judic. proceedings, judgment, opinion, decision: arbitrium vestrum, vestra existimatio Valebit, Ter. Heaut. prol. 25: cum de te splendida Minos Fecerit arbitria, Hor. C. 4, 7, 21: de aliquo arbitria agere, Liv. 24, 45: arbitria belli pacisque agere, id. 44, 15; cf. Tac. A. 12, 60: agere arbitria victoriae, Curt. 6, 1 fin.; cf. Gron. Observ. 4, c. 11, p. 427, and Liv. 31, 11; 32, 37.— Trop.: res ab opinionis arbitrio sejunctae, matters, in which nothing is decided according to mere opinion, Cic. de Or. 1, 23, 108: si volet usus, Quem penes arbitrium est et jus et norma loquendi, Hor. A. P. 72; Sen. Clem. 2, 7: arbitrio consilioque uti auris, to determine by the ear, Gell. 13, 20, 3.—
B. Mastery, dominion, authority, power, will, free-will: dedunt se In ditionem atque in arbitrium cuncti Thebano poplo, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 103 (Fleck., arbitratum): esse in pectore nostro quiddam, Cujus ad arbitrium quoque copia materiaiï Cogitur interdum flecti per membra, per artus, and at whose bidding the accumulated materials must yield obedience in every joint and limb, * Lucr. 2, 281: cujus (Jovis) nutu et arbitrio caelum, terra mariaque reguntur, Cic. Rosc. Am. 45, 131: ad alicujus arbitrium et nutum totum se fingere et adcommodare, id. Or. 8, 24; Cic. Verr. 1, 10, 30; 2, 5, 63 fin.; so Vulg. Lev. 13, 3; 13, 44: aliquid facere arbitrio suo, Cic. Phil. 6, 2: Mentes ad suum arbitrium movere, id. de Or. 2, 16, 70; so id. Par. 5, 1 fin.: quam (pecuniam) sponte et arbitrio cordis sui inferunt, Vulg. 4 Reg. 12, 4: vixit ad aliorum arbitrium, non ad suum, Cic. Mur. 9; so Hor. C. 3, 6, 40; 3, 2, 20; Tac. H. 1, 46; Suet. Caes. 9; 20; id. Aug. 28; id. Tit. 8; id. Galb. 14: in arbitrium vestrum diem constituistis ei, Vulg. Judith, 8, 13: orationem tibi misi: ejus custodiendae et proferendae arbitrium tuum, Cic. Att. 15, 13: munificentiam eorum in se ipsorum arbitrii debere esse, Liv. 37, 52: in arbitrio viri erit, ut faciat sive non faciat, Vulg. Num. 30, 14: tamquam congruere operationem eam serpentium humani sit arbitrī, Plin. 29, 3, 12, § 53; Suet. Tib. 18; id. Claud. 2: mox rei Romanae arbitrium (i. e. imperium, dominion, power) tribus ferme et viginti (annis) obtinuit, Tac. A. 6, 51; so, arbitrium orbis terrarum, Suet. Caes. 7; Nep. Con. 4, 1: huic deus optandi gratum, sed inutile fecit Muneris arbitrium, Ov. M. 11, 101: liberum mortis arbitrium, Suet. Dom. 8; 11; cf. Tac. A. 15, 60.—
C. Arbitria funeris, the expenses of a funeral (fixed by an arbiter), Cic. Dom. 37; id. Pis. 9 fin.; id. Red. in Sen. 7; cf. Dig. 11, 7, 12, § 6.

Origins

Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -iusnom. Latin -ium Latin arbitrium From arbiter + -ium.

Descendants
  • Catalanalbir
  • Occitanaubirefrom Old Occitan albire
  • Portuguesealvedrio
  • Portuguesealvitre
  • Spanishalbedrío
  • Frencharbitre
  • Italianarbitrio
  • Portuguesearbítrio
  • Spanisharbitrio
  • Old Frencharvoire

Quick answers

What does arbitrium mean in Latin?
arbitrium, a noun, means “the decision of an arbiter, arbitration; judgement, decision, opinion; discretion, liberal decision”.
What is the genitive of arbitrium?
The genitive singular is arbitriī. arbitrium is neuter, second declension.
How do you pronounce arbitrium?
In classical Latin, [arˈbɪ.tri.ũː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [arˈbiː.tri.um].