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Luminary vs Arbitrary - What's the difference?

luminary | arbitrary |

As nouns the difference between luminary and arbitrary

is that luminary is one that is an inspiration to others; one who has achieved success in his chosen field; a leading light while arbitrary is anything arbitrary, such as an arithmetical value or a fee.

As an adjective arbitrary is

(usually|of a decision) based on individual discretion or judgment; not based on any objective distinction, perhaps even made at random.

luminary

English

Noun

(luminaries)
  • One that is an inspiration to others; one who has achieved success in his chosen field; a leading light.
  • :played host to a huge gathering of international luminaries -- Edmund Stevens
  • An artificial light; an illumination.
  • A body that gives light; especially , one of the heavenly bodies.

    • Synonyms

    * guiding light

    Related terms

    * illuminate * luminous

    External links

    * *

    arbitrary

    English

    Adjective

    (arbitrariness) (en adjective)
  • (usually, of a decision) Based on individual discretion or judgment; not based on any objective distinction, perhaps even made at random.
    • Benjamin Franklin's designation of "positive" and "negative" to different charges was arbitrary . In fact, electrons flow in the opposite direction to conventional current.
    The decision to use 18 years as the legal age of adulthood was arbitrary , as both age 17 and 19 were reasonable alternatives.
  • Determined by impulse rather than reason; heavy-handed.
    • "The Russian trials were Stalin's purges, with which he attempted to consolidate his power. Like most people in the West, I believed these show trials to be the arbitrary acts of a cruel dictator." ( Max Born, Letters to Einstein)
  • (mathematics) Any and all possible.
    • The equation is true for an arbitrary value of x.
  • Determined by independent arbiter.
    • To secure food safety, there should first be a national standard to arbitrarily state what is wholesome and what is not; second, the final buyer should know exactly what he is purchasing. ( The World's Work ...: a history of our time)

    Related terms

    * arbit * arbiter * arbitrable * arbitrage * arbitrarily * arbitrariness * arbitrary and capricious * arbitrate * arbitration * arbitrator

    Noun

    (arbitraries)
  • Anything arbitrary, such as an arithmetical value or a fee.

    • External links

    * *