arbitrary

/ˈɑː.bɪ.tɹə.ɹi/

//ˈɑː.bɪ.tɹə.ɹi// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"arbitrary" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“arbitrary” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #8,890. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#8,890
frequency rank, English
3,931
“A” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Based on individual discretion or judgment; not based on any objective distinction, perhaps even made at random.

Corpus desk

Index EN-arbitrary · arbitrary · English

arbitrary · rank #8,890 · 14 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #8,890
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,931
  • PHOTO-FINISH apologies

Nearest frequency peer: apologies (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “arbitrary”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “arbitrary” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

arbitrary vs arbitrage
78% similar
arbitrary vs arbitrarily
82% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for arbitrary
PropertyValue
Headwordarbitrary
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈɑː.bɪ.tɹə.ɹi/
Letters9
Frequency rank#8,890
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “arbitrary” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). arbitrary lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around arbitrary (IPA /ˈɑː.bɪ.tɹə.ɹi/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #8,890 among 3,931 “A” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for arbitrary, with forms such as "abritrary", "arbbitrary", and "arbirtary". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "arbitrage", "arbitrarily", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Etymology tree Latin arbiter Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āsios Latin -ārius Latin arbitrāriusder. Middle English arbitrarie English arbitrary From Middle English arbitrarie, Latin arbitrārius (“arbitrary, uncertain”), from arbiter (“witness… The correct English form is arbitrary, spelled A-R-B-I-T-R-A-R-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Based on individual discretion or judgment; not based on any objective distinction, perhaps even made at random.
  2. 2
    Determined by impulse rather than reason; often connoting heavy-handedness.
  3. 3
    Any, out of all that are possible.
  4. 4
    Determined by independent arbiter.
  5. 5
    Not representative or symbolic; not iconic.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how arbitrary appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Benjamin Franklin's designation of "positive" and "negative" to different charges was arbitrary.
  2. The decision to use 18 years as the legal age of adulthood was arbitrary, as both age 17 and 19 were reasonable alternatives.

Etymology

Etymology tree Latin arbiter Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āsios Latin -ārius Latin arbitrāriusder. Middle English arbitrarie English arbitrary From Middle English arbitrarie, Latin arbitrārius (“arbitrary, uncertain”), from arbiter (“witness, on-looker, listener, judge, overseer”).

This word in other languages

arbitrario(Español)arbitraire(Français)willkürlich(Deutsch)arbitrário(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • abritrary
  • arbbitrary
  • arbirtary
  • arbitarry
  • arbitrarry
  • arbitraryy
  • arbitrayr
  • arbitrrary
  • arbitrray
  • arbittrary
  • arbtirary
  • aribtrary
  • arrbitrary
  • rabitrary

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of arbitrary - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

abritrary2arbbitrary1arbirtary2arbitarry2arbitrarry1arbitraryy1arbitrayr2arbitrrary1
Edit distance from "arbitrary"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "arbitrary"?
"arbitrary" is spelled A-R-B-I-T-R-A-R-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɑː.bɪ.tɹə.ɹi/.
What does "arbitrary" mean?
As an adjective, "arbitrary" means: Based on individual discretion or judgment; not based on any objective distinction, perhaps even made at random.
What words are commonly confused with "arbitrary"?
"arbitrary" is commonly confused with "arbitrage", "arbitrarily". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "arbitrary"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "arbitrary" is /ˈɑː.bɪ.tɹə.ɹi/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "arbitrary"?
Etymology tree Latin arbiter Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āsios Latin -ārius Latin arbitrāriusder. Middle English arbitrarie English arbitrary From Middle English arbitrarie, Latin arbitrārius (“arbitrary, uncertain”), from arbiter... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "arbitrary", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

apologies#8,889allowance#8,887comprises#8,914subjected#8,863

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

desirable14 variantsfavorable14 variantsquantities14 variantsnonprofit14 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "arbitrary". Here's where to go from here.

  • "arbitrary" maps to 2 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "arbitrage". View pair
  • 14 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #8,890 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "A" letter cohort. A–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list