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

Farthing was arrested in Florida days after his lottery win and body camera footage from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office shows the Kentuckian being tased and tackled by deputies after attempting to flee following a bar fight. —Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 Dec. 2025

Here’s how to claim your lottery prize For Indiana Lottery prizes, the claim process varies depending on the prize amount. —Chris Sims, IndyStar, 26 Dec. 2025

Keeping the windfall private Arkansas is one of a growing number of states allowing lottery winners to remain anonymous. —Toni Odejimi, CNN Money, 26 Dec. 2025

The winner will not be known by the Department of Finance and Administration, which runs the Arkansas lottery, until Monday at the earliest, Reynolds said, because the winner will need contact the Arkansas Lottery Claims center, which is closed for the holidays until then. —Rafael Escalera Montoto, Arkansas Online, 25 Dec. 2025

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

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