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

Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, is one of the solar system’s oddities. —Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 23 Feb. 2026

While Switzerland and Spain, along with the French, have long, steep histories in skimo, as the sport is also known, the Americans came to the Stelvio as a bit of a skimo oddity. —Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2026

This traveling oddities festival features artists, vendors, performers, educators and guest speakers, all working to create a macabre and magical experience for attendees. —Travis Pinson, Dallas Morning News, 19 Feb. 2026

And many, many people noticed the oddity of the attack on migration, coming from a son of migrants. —Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026

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