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

Denker said that 288,000 free tickets were requested through a lottery system — exceeding the 130,000 spectators whom organizers plan to host on each of the event's two days. — ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026

The Sparks got good value for Plum in guard Monique Akoa Makani and a first-round pick in this year’s draft that, like their own, is likely to be a lottery pick. — Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026

Saturday’s $856 million figure would be before taxes, although some states, including California and Texas, don’t tax lottery winnings. — Isa Mudannayake, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026

Fortunately, there are a dozen or so states, including California, Alaska, Delaware, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming, that do not tax lottery winnings. — Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 6 Aug. 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