oddity

noun

odd·​i·​ty ˈä-də-tē 

plural oddities

1

: an odd person, thing, event, or trait

2

: the quality or state of being odd

Synonyms of oddity

• trick
• quirk
• trait
• characteristic
• peculiarity
• idiosyncrasy
• mannerism
• eccentricity
• singularity

Examples of oddity in a Sentence

Her shyness makes her a bit of an oddity in the business world.

The zoo has such oddities as anteaters and platypuses.

Recent Examples on the Web

Rhys’ Nile is disturbingly intense, yet can’t match the sheer oddity that made Durst both so compelling to watch and so believable as a killer. —Alison Herman, Variety, 13 Nov. 2025

What started as a regional oddity from Wisconsin has become an international cult sensation, even screening monthly at venues like Chicago’s historic Music Box Theatre. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Nov. 2025

Be outrageous, ridicule the fraidy-cats, rejoice in all the oddities that freedom can produce. —Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025

In this Canadian oddity, the fictional band Triton holes up in a farmhouse to record their new album. —Keith Phipps, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1713, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for oddity

• commodity

Kids Definition

oddity

noun

odd·​i·​ty ˈäd-ət-ē 

plural oddities

1

: something odd

2

: the quality or state of being odd