odd

play

adjective \ˈäd\

Definition of odd

1a : being without a corresponding (see corresponding 1) mate an odd shoeb (1) : left over after others are paired or grouped came without his wife and thus turned out to be the odd guest at the party (2) : separated from a set or series had in his possession only two or three odd volumes of the original 12-volume set
2a : somewhat more than the indicated approximate quantity, extent, or degree —usually used in combination 300-odd pagesb (1) : left over as a remainder had a few odd dollars left after paying his bills (2) : constituting a small amount had some odd change in her pocket
3a : being any of the integers (such as −3, −1, +1, and +3) that are not divisible by two without leaving a remainderb : marked by an odd number of units needed two odd-length boards, one of three feet and one of five feetc : being a function (see ¹function 5a) such that f (−x) = −f (x) where the sign is reversed but the absolute value remains the same if the sign of the independent variable is reversed
4a : not regular, expected, or planned worked at odd jobsb : encountered or experienced from time to time : occasional manages to get in some reading at odd moments
5 : having an out-of-the-way location : remote found it in some odd corner of the house
6 : differing markedly from the usual, ordinary, or accepted : peculiar a very odd way to show gratitude

oddness

noun

See odd defined for English-language learners

See odd defined for kids

Examples of odd in a Sentence

She had an odd look on her face.
People would call at odd hours during the night.
She's got a really odd sense of humor.
Some rather odd people used to live in this house.
There was something odd about his story.
It's odd that nobody told me about this before.
That's odd. He was here a minute ago.
That is one of the oddest creatures I have ever seen.
She kept a stack of magazines that she would read at odd moments.
During the summer, he would do odd jobs for his neighbors to earn extra money.

Origin and Etymology of odd

Middle English odde, from Old Norse oddi point of land, triangle, odd number; akin to Old English ord point of a weapon

First Known Use: 14th century

Synonym Discussion of odd

strange, singular, unique, peculiar, eccentric, erratic, odd, quaint, outlandish mean departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected. strange stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable. a journey filled with strange sights singular suggests individuality or puzzling strangeness. a singular feeling of impending disaster unique implies singularity and the fact of being without a known parallel. a career unique in the annals of science peculiar implies a marked distinctiveness. the peculiar status of America's first lady eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior. the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers erratic stresses a capricious and unpredictable wandering or deviating. a friend's suddenly erratic behavior odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected. an odd sense of humor quaint suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness. a quaint fishing village outlandish applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric. outlandish fashions of the time

ODD

abbreviation

Definition of ODD

oppositional defiant disorder

ODD Defined for English Language Learners

odd

play

adjective \ˈäd\

Definition of odd for English Language Learners

: strange or unusual : different from what is normal or expected
: happening in a way that is not planned or regular
: of different kinds or types

ODD Defined for Kids

odd

play

adjective \ˈäd\

Definition of odd for Students

odder

;

oddest

1 : not usual or common : strange Walking backward is an odd thing to do.
2 : not usual, expected, or planned He does odd jobs to earn extra money. Finding the passage was an odd stroke of luck.
3 : not capable of being divided by two without leaving a remainder The odd numbers include 1, 3, 5, 7, etc.
4 : not one of a pair or a set She found an odd glove.
5 : being or having a number that cannot be divided by two without leaving a remainder an odd year
6 : some more than the number mentioned The ship sank fifty odd years ago.