promiscuous
無差別な
解説 Definition
対象を細かく選ばず、種類・相手・分野がごちゃまぜに広がる様子を表します。書き言葉で、趣味・交友・同盟・使用法などに使われ、秩序や基準のなさをやや批判的に示すことがあります。
Promiscuous means not careful or selective, and involving many different people, things, or connections without clear limits. It is often used in formal writing to describe something mixed or uncontrolled. When used about sexual behavior, it means having many casual sexual partners.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
miscellaneous の misc と同じく「混ざる」方向で考えると、promiscuous は本来「区別なく混在する」という感覚です。この語義では性的な含みから少し離れ、promiscuous tastes なら「何でも聴く雑多な趣味」、promiscuous use なら「無差別な使用」。indiscriminate に近いですが、ばらばらなものが入り乱れる印象が加わります。
Notice the middle part like `misc` in `miscellaneous`, which suggests mixing things together. `Promiscuous` can mean not choosing carefully, with a sense of mixing freely and without limits. That is why it fits phrases like `promiscuous use` or `promiscuous alliances`.
例文
He was criticized for his promiscuous behavior and many relationships.
彼は軽率な行動と多くの交際関係のために批判された。
The author had promiscuous tastes in music, enjoying many genres.
その著者は音楽のジャンルを選ばず、幅広く楽しんだ。
History shows that promiscuous alliances were common among rival kingdoms.
歴史は、ライバル王国同士が無差別に同盟を結ぶことが一般的だったことを示している。
promiscuous の類義語・関連語
promiscuous の語源・成り立ち Etymology
promiscuous はラテン語 promiscuus「入り交じった」が語源で、pro-「前へ・公然と」+ misc「混ぜる」+ -uous と考えられます。区別せず混ぜこぜにする感覚から、「無差別な」ひいては相手を選ばない意味へ広がりました。関連語は mix、miscellany。
Promiscuous comes from Latin promiscuus, meaning "mixed" or "confused together." It is connected to the idea of mixing without clear separation, from the same root seen in mix and miscellany. From this sense of being mixed together, the word developed into "indiscriminate" and then into the modern sense of not choosing carefully between partners.
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