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

Odysseus then held a lottery to determine who would serve in Ithaca’s army. — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 18 July 2026

There’s the fact that the Red Wings never got much lottery luck — never picking higher than fourth, and certainly not getting the kind of breaks teams like San Jose have gotten in moving up dramatically in the order. — Max Bultman, New York Times, 17 July 2026

Al and Theresa Prisco were interviewed as lottery officials taped posters to the coffee shop walls, urging customers to use their coffee change to buy lottery tickets. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026

Listen First Before Offering Financial Solutions Sudden liquidity events like inheritances, lottery wins or lawsuit proceeds can be exciting and terrifying at the same time. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

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

Rhymes for lottery

• cautery
• pottery
• watery
• electrocautery

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