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indifferent

 - 5 dictionary results

in⋅dif⋅fer⋅ent

  [in-dif-er-uhnt, -dif-ruhnt]
Use indifferent in a Sentence
–adjective
1. without interest or concern; not caring; apathetic: his indifferent attitude toward the suffering of others.
2. having no bias, prejudice, or preference; impartial; disinterested.
3. neither good nor bad in character or quality; average; routine: an indifferent specimen.
4. not particularly good, important, etc.; unremarkable; unnotable: an indifferent success; an indifferent performance.
5. of only moderate amount, extent, etc.
6. not making a difference, or mattering, one way or the other.
7. immaterial or unimportant.
8. not essential or obligatory, as an observance.
9. making no difference or distinction, as between persons or things: indifferent justice.
10. neutral in chemical, electric, or magnetic quality.
11. Biology. not differentiated or specialized, as cells or tissues.
–noun
12. an ethically or morally indifferent act.
13. a person who is indifferent, esp. in matters of religion or politics.
–adverb
14. Archaic. indifferently: I am indifferent well.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME (adj.) < L indifferent- (s. of indifferēns). See in- 3 , different

Related forms:
in⋅dif⋅fer⋅ent⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
4. mediocre, undistinguished, uninspired, commonplace.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To indifferent
in·dif·fer·ent   (ĭn-dĭf'ər-ənt, -dĭf'rənt)   
adj.  

  1. Having no particular interest or concern; apathetic: indifferent to the sufferings of others.

  2. Having no marked feeling for or against: She remained indifferent toward their proposal.

  3. Not mattering one way or the other: It's indifferent to me which outfit you choose.

  4. Characterized by a lack of partiality; unbiased: an indifferent judge.

  5. Being neither too much nor too little; moderate.

  6. Being neither good nor bad; mediocre: an indifferent performance. See Synonyms at average.

  7. Being neither right nor wrong.

  8. Not active or involved; neutral: an indifferent chemical in a reaction.

  9. Biology Undifferentiated, as cells or tissue.


[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin indifferēns, indifferent- : in-, not; see in-1 + differēns, different; see different.]
in·dif'fer·ent·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

indifferent 
1387, "unbiased," from L. indifferentem (nom. indifferens) "not differing, not particular, of not consequence," from in- "not" + differens, prp. of differre "set apart" (see differ). Extended sense of "apathetic" first recorded 1519; that of "neither good nor bad" 1532.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: in·dif·fer·ent
Pronunciation: in-'dif-&rnt, -'dif-(&-)rent
Function: adjective
1 : having or exhibiting alack of affect, concern, or care
2 a : not differentiated <indifferent tissues of the human body> b : capable of development in more than onedirection; especially : not yet embryologically determined —in·dif·fer·ent·ly adverb
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

indifferent in·dif·fer·ent (ĭn-dĭf'ər-ənt, -dĭf'rənt)
adj.

  1. Characterized by a lack of partiality; unbiased.

  2. Not active or involved; neutral.

  3. Undifferentiated, as cells or tissue.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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