indefinite inflorescence

Indefinite \In*def"i*nite\, a. [L. indefinitus. See {In-} not,
   and {Definite}.]
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   1. Not definite; not limited, defined, or specified; not
      explicit; not determined or fixed upon; not precise;
      uncertain; vague; confused; obscure; as, an indefinite
      time, plan, etc.
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            It were to be wished that . . . men would leave off
            that indefinite way of vouching, "the chymists say
            this," or "the chymists affirm that." --Boyle.
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            The time of this last is left indefinite. --Dryden.
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   2. Having no determined or certain limits; large and
      unmeasured, though not infinite; unlimited; as, indefinite
      space; the indefinite extension of a straight line.
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            Though it is not infinite, it may be indefinite;
            though it is not boundless in itself, it may be so
            to human comprehension.               --Spectator.
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   3. Boundless; infinite. [R.]
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            Indefinite and omnipresent God,
            Inhabiting eternity.                  --W. Thompson
                                                  (1745).
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   4. (Bot.) Too numerous or variable to make a particular
      enumeration important; -- said of the parts of a flower,
      and the like. Also, indeterminate.
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   {Indefinite article} (Gram.), the word a or an, used with
      nouns to denote any one of a common or general class.

   {Indefinite inflorescence}. (Bot.) See {Indeterminate
      inflorescence}, under {Indeterminate}.

   {Indefinite proposition} (Logic), a statement whose subject
      is a common term, with nothing to indicate distribution or
      nondistribution; as, Man is mortal.

   {Indefinite term} (Logic), a negative term; as, the not-good.

   Syn: Inexplicit; vague; uncertain; unsettled; indeterminate;
        loose; equivocal; inexact; approximate.
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Indeterminate \In`de*ter"mi*nate\, a. [L. indeterminatus.]
   Not determinate; not certain or fixed; indefinite; not
   precise; as, an indeterminate number of years. --Paley.
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   {Indeterminate analysis} (Math.), that branch of analysis
      which has for its object the solution of indeterminate
      problems.

   {Indeterminate coefficients} (Math.), coefficients
      arbitrarily assumed for convenience of calculation, or to
      facilitate some artifice of analysis. Their values are
      subsequently determined.

   {Indeterminate equation} (Math.), an equation in which the
      unknown quantities admit of an infinite number of values,
      or sets of values. A group of equations is indeterminate
      when it contains more unknown quantities than there are
      equations.

   {Indeterminate inflorescence} (Bot.), a mode of inflorescence
      in which the flowers all arise from axillary buds, the
      terminal bud going on to grow and sometimes continuing the
      stem indefinitely; -- called also {acropetal
      inflorescence}, {botryose inflorescence}, {centripetal
      inflorescence}, and {indefinite inflorescence}. --Gray.

   {Indeterminate problem} (Math.), a problem which admits of an
      infinite number of solutions, or one in which there are
      fewer imposed conditions than there are unknown or
      required results.

   {Indeterminate quantity} (Math.), a quantity which has no
      fixed value, but which may be varied in accordance with
      any proposed condition.

   {Indeterminate series} (Math.), a series whose terms proceed
      by the powers of an indeterminate quantity, sometimes also
      with indeterminate exponents, or indeterminate
      coefficients. -- {In`de*ter"mi*nate*ly} adv. --
      {In`de*ter"mi*nate*ness}, n.
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