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

There are local oddities, however, particularly in places that see lake-effect snow from the Great Lakes. —Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 22 Dec. 2025

That stat is a little bit of a statistical oddity. —Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 21 Dec. 2025

Next the hosts talk about an oddity in Marshall Faulk‘s new college football coaching contract with Southern University. —Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 18 Dec. 2025

The Black Cat Shoppe is a colorful spot for eclectic oddities and The Next Chapter Books & Art carries on the town’s rich literary history that dates to 1783 when the state’s first bookstore was opened in New Bern. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 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