English → Latin
“arbitrary” in Latin
absolvōto release, discharge; to loosen from, make loose, detach, untie; to pay offīnfīnītusboundless, unlimited, endless; infinitesuperusabove, upper, higherimperiōsusmighty, powerful, puissant, commanding; imperious, domineering, overbearing, tyrannical, dictatorialimpotēnsPowerless, weak, feeble, impotent, helpless, puny.; Unable to control, having no power over; incapable of.; Unbridled, uimportūnusinconvenient, unsuitable; annoying; rudearbitrāriusarbitrating; arbitrarylibīdōdesire, fancy, inclination, longing, pleasure, caprice, passion, wantonness; lust, sensualityīnsolēnsunusual; contrary to custom or one’s own custom; arrogant, haughty, insolent
The English word arbitrary itself goes back to Latin arbiter, through arbitrārius.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
arbitrary
despotic, unlimited, absolute: infinitus (unbounded): summus (highest): imperiosus (in o lordly, tyrannical way). (The words are found in this connection and order), imperiosus et superbus: impotens, against anybody, alicui (in a passionate, unbridled way: of both persons and things): importunus (hard, showing no mercy or consideration for others in one’s conduct: opposed to clemens). Sometimes crudelis in aliquem: aaevus in aliquem. Arbitrary power, infinita or summa potestas; imperium summum; cum dominatu unius omnia tenentur; or dominatio only: to possess arbitrary power, summo imperio praeditum esse. An arbitrary spirit, superbia.
Depending on no rule, capricious: arbitrarius (late: dependent on one’s own will; e.g., motus, opposed to natnralis, Gell.): libidine or ex libidine factus (formed by one’s own will alone, and so capriciously): insolens (unusual): insolenter fictus (of words arbitrarily invented, Gell.).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for arbitrary?
- The usual Latin words for “arbitrary” are absolvō, īnfīnītus, superus; also imperiōsus, impotēns, importūnus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.