oddity

noun

odd·​i·​ty ˈä-də-tē How to pronounce oddity (audio)
plural oddities
1
: an odd person, thing, event, or trait
2
: the quality or state of being odd

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Ferguson oddities Players signed by the greatest manager of all time, for reasons few can fathom. Carl Anka, New York Times, 16 May 2025 The four-seater Porsche 911, also known as the 911 B17, never made it beyond this prototype, but still exists as an oddity and, potentially, a very valuable one. Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 6 May 2025 The lack of seamless updates is an oddity for Samsung given Pixel’s universal deployment. Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025 So far, the only evidence has come from some oddities in the orbits of small Pluto-like bodies. Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 9 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for oddity

Word History

First Known Use

1713, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of oddity was in 1713

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Cite this Entry

“Oddity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oddity. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

oddity

noun
odd·​i·​ty ˈäd-ət-ē How to pronounce oddity (audio)
plural oddities
1
: something odd
2
: the quality or state of being odd

More from Merriam-Webster on oddity

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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