risk
UK[rɪsk]US[rɪsk]
n
The possibility of something bad or unpleasant happening
v
To expose someone or something valued to danger, harm, or loss
Etymology
The word 'risk' entered English in the mid-17th century from French 'risque', which itself was borrowed from Italian 'rischio' or 'risico'. The Italian term likely derives from the post-classical Latin verb 'risicare', meaning 'to run into danger'. The ultimate origin is believed to be the Arabic root 'رزق' (rizq), which originally meant 'fortune' or 'providence', referring to what is allotted by God. This semantic journey—from a concept of divine allotment to one of chance and potential peril—captures the essence of risk as an encounter with an uncertain outcome, whether for good or ill. The modern abstract meaning crystallized with the development of probability theory and commercial insurance, framing risk as a quantifiable possibility of loss.
Analysis
This word is a simplex loanword. Its core form 'risk' is not productively divisible into meaningful sub-parts in modern English.
Examples
Investing in start-up companies involves a high degree of financial risk.
He risked his life to save the child from the burning building.
The project was cancelled due to the unacceptably high risk of failure.