oddity

noun

odd·​i·​ty ˈä-də-tē How to pronounce oddity (audio)
plural oddities
1
: an odd person, thing, event, or trait
2
: the quality or state of being odd

Examples of oddity in a Sentence

Her shyness makes her a bit of an oddity in the business world. The zoo has such oddities as anteaters and platypuses.
Recent Examples on the Web The disturbance’s appearance highlights another oddity of the season. Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 23 May 2024 Still, some oddities stand out, most notably that Baltimore will have seven Sundays off, including its Week 14 bye, and will play three games in 11 days, including on the road on Christmas for a second straight year, this time against the Houston Texans. Brian Wacker, Baltimore Sun, 17 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for oddity 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oddity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1713, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of oddity was in 1713

Dictionary Entries Near oddity

Cite this Entry

“Oddity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oddity. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

oddity

noun
odd·​i·​ty ˈäd-ət-ē How to pronounce oddity (audio)
plural oddities
1
: something odd
2
: the quality or state of being odd

More from Merriam-Webster on oddity

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!