unpredictable
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Etymology tree
From un- + predictable.
Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (Southern England): (file)
Adjective
[edit]unpredictable (comparative more unpredictable, superlative most unpredictable)
- Unable to be predicted.
- Synonyms: (far less common) nonpredictable, vagabond
- Antonym: predictable
- Hyponym: temperamental
- 1958 September, C. Alan Cook, “Johannesburg's Fourth Station”, in Railway Magazine, page 639:
- It has, therefore, always been a major problem for South African railways to cater adequately for this unpredictable city; three stations have had to be built on the present site during the last fifty years.
- 1983, Richard Ellis, The Book of Sharks, Knopf, →ISBN, page 146:
- Sharks are not unpredictable; for the most part, they do exactly what an apex predator is expected to do.
Derived terms
[edit]Related terms
[edit]Translations
[edit]unable to be predicted
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See also
[edit]Noun
[edit]unpredictable (plural unpredictables)
- An unpredictable thing.
- 1960, United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety: Hearing..., page 12:
- Other unpredictables, like the recent unexpected blizzards and those of 2 years ago, or a hurricane can cost us many thousands of dollars, and have a severe impact on equipment and facilities.