Aleatory
[EY-lee-ə-tor-ee]
Part of speech: adjective
Origin: Latin, late 17th century
1.
Depending on the throw of a dice or on chance; random.
2.
Relating to or denoting music or other forms of art involving elements of random choice during their composition, production, or performance.
Examples of Aleatory in a sentence
"Vegas casinos run on the outcome of aleatory games."
"The aleatory sounds of the symphony demonstrated the composer’s unique vision."
About Aleatory
This word hails from the Latin “aleatorius,” from “aleator,” meaning “dice player.” “Alea” means “die,” + “-y,” meaning “having the quality of.”
Did you Know?
Aleatory music, in which some part of the composition is left up to the whims of the performer, is known as chance music. It’s not just improvisation — some forms of aleatory music incorporate statistical and computer techniques.
