aleatory
Left to chance
Aleatory means dependent on chance or randomness.
In law, an aleatory contract involves uncertain outcomes—insurance policies and gambling agreements are aleatory because payouts depend on unpredictable events.
In music and art, aleatory works incorporate random elements: The composer left certain passages to aleatory choices by the performers.
The word appears mostly in technical and academic contexts.
Lack of predictable pattern
- probabilityQuantified chance of occurrence
- contingencyUncertain possible event
- happenstanceUnplanned circumstance
- fortuityAccidental lucky occurrence
indeterminacy · stochastic · arbitrary · haphazard · fortuitous · incidental · accidental · unpredictable
Marked cubes for chance
- rouletteSpinning wheel wager
- lotteryRandomized prize distribution
- wagerStake on uncertainty
- bettingStaking money on outcomes
stakes · casino · poker · blackjack · craps · baccarat · slot-machine · jackpot
Prepared piano inventor
- indeterminacyLack of fixed outcome
- improvisationSpontaneous, unplanned creation
- experimentalTesting new methods
- avant-gardeInnovative cultural pioneers
Enforceable written agreement
- clauseProvision in agreement
- contingentConditional or representative group
- conditionalDependent on prerequisites
- insuranceContractual risk coverage
liability · actuarial · indemnity · coverage · premiums · underwriting · policyholder · contingency
randomness
Lack of predictable pattern
- probabilityQuantified chance of occurrence
- contingencyUncertain possible event
- happenstanceUnplanned circumstance
fortuity · indeterminacy · stochastic · arbitrary · haphazard · fortuitous · incidental · accidental · unpredictable · uncertain
dice
Marked cubes for chance
betting · stakes · casino · poker · blackjack · craps · baccarat · slot-machine · jackpot · odds
John Cage
Prepared piano inventor
- indeterminacyLack of fixed outcome
- improvisationSpontaneous, unplanned creation
- experimentalTesting new methods
avant-garde · Feldman · I Ching · score
contract
Enforceable written agreement
- clauseProvision in agreement
- contingentConditional or representative group
- conditionalDependent on prerequisites
insurance · liability · actuarial · indemnity · coverage · premiums · underwriting · policyholder · contingency · exposure
aleatorydeterministic
Completely caused by prior conditions
predetermined · predictable · certain · inevitable · fixed
aleatorydeliberate
Consciously chosen, not accidental
intentional · designed · planned · purposeful · calculated