lottery

noun

lot·​tery ˈlä-tə-rē 

 also  ˈlä-trē

plural lotteries

often attributive

1

a

: a drawing of lots in which prizes are distributed to the winners among persons buying a chance

b

: a drawing of lots used to decide something

2

: an event or affair whose outcome is or seems to be determined by chance

Examples of lottery in a Sentence

They held a lottery to determine who could get a green card.

Room assignments are determined by lottery.

Life's a lottery, isn't it? It all depends on luck.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Powerball lottery jackpot continues to grow after no one matched all six numbers from Saturday night's drawing. —Evan Frank, The Indianapolis Star, 23 Apr. 2024

As of April 22, 2024, 11 lottery jackpots have reached or surpassed $1 billion. —Steven Martinez, Journal Sentinel, 22 Apr. 2024

More than 537,000 other tickets sold in the United States also won prizes ranging from $4 to $150,000 in the draw, the lottery said. —Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 22 Apr. 2024

Using it is a little like buying a fistful of lottery tickets. —Adam Iscoe, The New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2024

The lottery will be held at 3 p.m. on May 12 from Chicago and broadcast live on ESPN. —Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2024

Tenants were chosen by lottery from among 809 applicants in January. —Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 21 Apr. 2024

The 41-year-old returned home that night with a pizza and a $2 million lottery win, according to Michigan lottery officials. —Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 19 Apr. 2024

With two lottery picks, the Sparks could try to pair the dominant centers or select Tennessee forward Rickea Jackson if the 6-foot-2 senior doesn’t go third to the Chicago Sky. —Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French loterie, probably borrowed from Middle Dutch loterye, from loten "to draw lots" (derivative of lot "lot, prediction, destiny," going back to Germanic *hluta-) + -erye -ery — more at lot entry 1

Note: Alternatively the Middle Dutch word could have been borrowed from Middle French loterie (despite the French word's later date), perhaps a calque on Middle Dutch lotinge "action of drawing lots" (thus the Oxford English Dictionary, third edition). The earliest state-sponsored lotteries in Europe were held in the cities of Flanders in the first half of the 15th century. The first English state lottery was held in 1569, with advertisements using the word lotterie having been printed two years earlier.

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing lottery

• play the lottery
• win the lottery

Kids Definition

lottery

noun

lot·​tery ˈlät-ə-rē 

ˈlä-trē

plural lotteries

: a drawing of lots in which prizes are given to the winning names or numbers