indeterminate

The form is linear, quadratic, cubic, biquadratic or quartic, quintic, &c., according to its order in respect of the indeterminates it contains; and binary, ternary, quaternary, &c., according to the number of its indeterminates. Thus x²+y² is a binary quadratic form, x³+y³+z³-3xyz is a ternary cubic form.