arbitrary items

[/ˈɑːrbɪtreri ˈaɪtəmz/]
noun phrasepl: N/A (phrase)
itens arbitrários
1. Objects, things, or elements selected or chosen without a specific reason, system, or principle; random selections.
The teacher selected arbitrary items from the box for the experiment.
A professora selecionou itens arbitrários da caixa para o experimento.
2. Things chosen based on personal preference or whim rather than objective criteria.
He bought arbitrary items at the store without making a shopping list.
Ele comprou itens arbitrários na loja sem fazer uma lista de compras.
3. In computing and databases, data elements selected without following a predetermined pattern.
The algorithm generates arbitrary items to test system performance.
O algoritmo gera itens arbitrários para testar o desempenho do sistema.
This phrase is commonly used in educational, technical, and business contexts in both Brazil and the USA. In Brazil, it appears frequently in academic discussions and software development. The concept reflects modern decision-making where systematic selection is contrasted with random choice, particularly relevant in technology and data science fields.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
random itemsmiscellaneous itemshaphazard itemsindiscriminate itemscapricious items
Antonyms / Antônimos
selected itemscurated itemsspecific itemspredetermined itemssystematic items

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
itens arbitrários
Standard term used in formal and technical contexts
Rio de Janeiro
itens aleatórios / coisas aleatórias
Common colloquial alternative emphasizing randomness
São Paulo
itens escolhidos sem critério
Emphasis on lack of selection criteria
Portugal
itens arbitrários / artigos arbitrários
Same as Brazilian, though 'artigos' may be preferred in commercial contexts

Related Words

arbitraryrandomnessselectiondiscretionwhim

Related Idioms & Phrases

pick and choose arbitrarily
arbitrary selection of items
hit-or-miss items
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →