aleatory
AY-lee-uh-tor-ee
/ˈeɪliətɔːri/
Depending on the throw of a dice or on luck; relating to or denoting luck or chance.
Most commonly used in music or art to describe works created by random elements.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'aleatorius,' from 'alea' (a game of dice). Julius Caesar famously said 'Alea iacta est' (The die is cast) when crossing the Rubicon.
Word relationships
- random: Aleatory specifically evokes the imagery of dice or gambling.
- deliberate: Carefully thought out and planned.
Commonly confused with
- stochastic: Stochastic is mathematical/scientific; aleatory is artistic/legal.
Collocations
- aleatory music
- aleatory contract
- aleatory technique
Example sentences
- "John Cage was a pioneer of aleatory music, using the I Ching to determine which notes to play." Music theory.
- "An insurance policy is an aleatory contract because the payout depends on an uncertain event." Legal/Insurance.
Memory hook
Think of 'Alea' (dice) + 'Story.' A story determined by dice. The roll of the dice.
When not to use
Too obscure for general conversation; use 'random' or 'chance-based' instead.
Fun facts
- In 'aleatory music,' performers might be given a set of notes but told to play them in any order they choose.
Related words
Explore more words
improvisation, contingent, indeterminism, experimental, improvise, sporadic
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