Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. One chosen or appointed to judge or decide a disputed issue; an arbitrator.
- n. One who has the power to judge or ordain at will: an arbiter of fashion. See Synonyms at judge.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A person chosen by the parties in a controversy to decide their differences; one who decides points at issue; an arbitrator; a referee; an umpire.
- n. In a general sense, a person who has the power of judging and determining absolutely according to his own pleasure; one whose power of deciding and governing is not limited; one who has a matter under his sole authority for adjudication.
- To act as arbiter between; judge.
Wiktionary
- n. A person appointed, or chosen, by parties to determine a controversy between them; an arbitrator.
- n. A person or object having the power of judging and determining, or ordaining, without control; one whose power of deciding and governing is not limited.
- v. transitive To act as arbiter.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. A person appointed, or chosen, by parties to determine a controversy between them.
- n. Any person who has the power of judging and determining, or ordaining, without control; one whose power of deciding and governing is not limited.
- v. obsolete To act as arbiter between.
WordNet 3.0
- n. someone chosen to judge and decide a disputed issue
- n. someone with the power to settle matters at will
Etymologies
- Old French arbitre, from Latin arbiter ("a witness, judge, literally one who goes to see"), from ar- for ad- ("to") + betere ("to come"). (Wiktionary)
- Middle English arbitre, from Old French, from Latin arbiter, of Phoenician origin; see ʿrb in Semitic roots. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“While inviting Iran to the upcoming conference on Afghanistan seems like a prudent move — engaging Iran first on a key area of mutual concern rather than going after the big issues outright — it’s important to remember that Khamenei is the main arbiter of Iran’s foreign policy.”
“The arbiter was a paper pusher's nightmare called Level Two, a sprawling management complex in Reston, Va., that had to be consulted on the slightest matters, yet had no authority to make decisions.”
“It will be McCain if race is the final arbiter, which is also very possible.”
“[The physician] cannot escape the role of mediator, or arbiter, which is forced on him when a former syphilitic comes to his surgery and asks: Doctor, is it safe for me to marry? ...”
Syphilis from 1880 to 1920: A Public Health Nightmare and the First Challenge to Medical Ethics
“Nothing pleases him more than to be called the arbiter of Christendom," wrote”
“Mr. McLane, in answer to Sir Charles's request for information on the subject, stated that the difficulty in the way of the adoption of the line recommended by the arbiter was the want of authority in the”
A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents Volume 3, part 2: Martin Van Buren
“The arbiter is the people and not the American Embassy, the United States or the E.U.," Mr. Saleh said in his speech, The Associated Press reported.”
“The arbiter is the Yemeni people and not the U.S. embassy, the United States or the EU," he said.”
“According to Tacitus, Petronius was called arbiter elegantiae because the emperor consulted him on all matters of taste.”
“Epishin called the arbiter while pressing on his side of the clock.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘arbiter’.
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GRE Barrons Wordlist
A complete Barron's Wordlist for GRE preparation. Your online flashcard replacement.
abase, abash, abate, abbreviate, abdicate, aberrant, aberration, abet, abeyance, abhor, abject, abjure and 4087 more...
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GRE 2014
abase, abate, abdicate, aberrant, abeyance, abhor, abjure, abortive, abound, abrasive, abreast, abridge and 1577 more...
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GRE
droll, dyspeptic, ebullient, ardor, edify, efficacy, malinger, mannered, martinet, maudlin, mendacious, mendicant and 102 more...
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man gre
abase, abeyance, abreast, abscission, abscond, abyss, accede, accretion, acerbic, acidulous, acumen, adulterate and 483 more...
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big book gre
abase, abbess, abbey, abbot, abdicate, abdomen, abdominal, abduction, abed, aberration, abet, abeyance and 6691 more...
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gre2
aberrant, aberration, aboveboard, abrasive, abstemious, acme, admonish, affable, affluent, alacrity, allegory, alleviate and 1901 more...
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Bite me
bite, bitewing, biteplate, backbite, checkbite, biter, exhibited, sound bite, snakebite, rat-bite fever, overbite, debited and 32 more...
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TECH - Steve Jobs
visionary, redefine, digital, founder, era, computer, cultural, product, global, gaunt, frail, executive and 76 more...
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Just 'cause I like 'em, A
abaculus, abacus, abaft, abarticular, abbreviate, abeyance, abiding, anthocyanin, antemeridian, arcane, adjure, adduce and 418 more...
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GRE 3500
abase, abash, abate, aberrant, abeyance, abjure, ablution, abut, accede, accentuate, acerbity, acetic and 133 more...
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Words I Know
List of most of the words I've learned
garner, abase, abate, abdicate, abduct, aberration, abet, abhor, abide, abject, abjure, abnegation and 1046 more...
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my GRE words
pedant, wizened, histrionic, logorrhea, frenetic, approbation, quibble, knell, acclivity, droog, prevarication, aplomb and 182 more...
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Vocab ##5
appint, monarch, counterpart, muse, bestow, unwitting, aghast, admonish, wage, decree, cavalry, phalanx and 126 more...
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SAT vocab
abash, abdicate, abate, aberration, abhor, abject, abnegate, abortive, absolve, abstruse, accolade, accost and 175 more...
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SAT Vocab
Redundant.
problematic, proclivity, prodigal, prodigious, prodigy, profane, profligate, profound, profusion, proliferation, prolific, prologue and 455 more...
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SAT PSAT ALPHABETICAL A
abandon, abash, abate, abjure, ablution, abnegate, abominable, aboriginal, abortive, abrade, abridge, abrogate and 172 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for arbiter.
onursaka not arbitrator. Feb 18, 2012