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odd

UK[ɒd]US[ɑːd]
adj

Different from what is usual or expected; strange.

adj

(of numbers) Not able to be divided exactly by two.

adj

Happening or occurring infrequently or irregularly; occasional.

adj

Used after a number to indicate that it is approximate.

Etymology

The word 'odd' entered English from Old Norse 'oddi', meaning a triangle, a point of land, or the odd number in a series (the third, or odd one out). This Norse term is related to Old Icelandic 'oddr', meaning point of a weapon or a point of land. The conceptual journey is from a literal "point" or "angle" to the idea of something that protrudes or is not aligned with a pair, leading to the sense of something left over, singular, or not matching. This evolution from a physical point to an abstract numerical and qualitative concept of strangeness or irregularity is a classic example of semantic broadening.

Analysis

The word 'odd' is a simplex word of Old Norse origin. It does not contain separable morphemes in modern English.

Examples

He's always been a bit of an odd character.

One, three, five, and seven are all odd numbers.

I do the odd bit of gardening on the weekend.

odd – Meaning, Etymology & Word Origin | OpenEtymology