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

• 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

Inside, exhibits trace the history of Harrogate’s rise as a fashionable spa resort, from eyebrow-raising Victorian treatments to the habits and oddities of 19th-century visitors. —David Nikel, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025

His new Goods and Services Tax replaced a byzantine tax code that included oddities like the octroi, a city toll on goods originating in the Roman empire. —Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 18 July 2025

These space oddities are galaxies that, after an initial phase of intense star formation, escape their expected evolutionary path. —Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 8 July 2025

This devious little oddity served up a different story each week, a tradition best associated with The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. —Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 3 July 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