oddity

odd·i·ty | \ ˈä-də-tē

How to pronounce oddity (audio)

\

plural oddities

Definition of oddity

1 : an odd person, thing, event, or trait

2 : the quality or state of being odd

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about oddity

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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 Shifting left Ready or not, the exotic oddity that is the diverging diamond interchange (DDI) is opening at Alabama State Route 181 and Interstate 10. — al, "Alabama’s first diverging diamond interchange opens Wednesday," 30 June 2020 An extremely rare 1823 quarter described as an oddity has sold for $102,000. — Fox News, "Extremely rare 1823 quarter sells for $102G," 26 June 2020 One oddity is how easily people can get infected by someone without symptoms. — Holly Yan, CNN, "What's the difference between asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic spread? And does it matter with coronavirus?," 9 June 2020 One big oddity in Motorola's phone lineup is that none of these phones has NFC. — Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, "Motorola’s sub-$200 Moto G Fast and Moto E pack modern designs, big batteries," 5 June 2020 The rarity of sinistral garden snails makes studying them difficult, rendering the developmental and genetic background of their oddity mysterious. — Kristen Rogers, CNN, "Two lefties make a right, if you're a rare garden snail," 2 June 2020 That’s a historical oddity: For the vast majority of our species’ timeline, people’s lives were filled with constant crises and impending death. — Matt Simon, Wired, "An Onslaught of Crises Has Created a Modern Paradox," 1 June 2020 The inequality has created oddities in the current lottery standings. — Omari Sankofa Ii, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit Pistons' NBA draft odds hinge on league's return-to-play proposals. The latest," 29 May 2020 An oddity in pre-coronavirus times, virtual AGMs are spreading fast in the age of social distancing. — The Economist, "Low resolution Online annual meetings may favour managers over shareholders," 30 Apr. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oddity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

3 Jul 2020

Cite this Entry

“Oddity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oddity. Accessed 14 Aug. 2020.

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More Definitions for oddity

oddity

noun

English Language Learners Definition of oddity

: a strange or unusual person or thing

: the quality or state of being strange or unusual

See the full definition for oddity in the English Language Learners Dictionary

oddity

odd·i·ty | \ ˈä-də-tē

\

plural oddities

Kids Definition of oddity

1 : something strange The zoo has oddities such as platypuses.

2 : the quality or state of being strange We laughed at the oddity of the situation.

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