Word
Stochastic
Involving randomness described through probabilities rather than one guaranteed outcome
Examples
A stochastic model predicts a distribution of possible paths for the particle.
The forecast was stochastic: repeating the same setup could produce different simulated outcomes.
Origin
In mathematics, stochastic marks a probabilistic description. A stochastic process describes how random outcomes change over time or another variable.
How it connects
Stochastic names the probabilistic form of the description.
This word appeared in Predictable patterns without predictable paths, the Involves connection for October 20, 2026, which asked: Can randomness produce something we can reliably calculate?
Check yourself
Which forecast is explicitly stochastic?
A distribution assigning probabilities to several possible outcomes. Exactly. A stochastic description represents outcomes probabilistically.
What the sources establish
Stochastic describes probability-based models and processes.
Sources
Stochastic (Wolfram MathWorld), Definition of stochastic processes and probabilistic description