roulette
UK[ruːˈlɛt]US[ruˈlɛt]
n
a gambling game in which a small ball is dropped onto a revolving wheel with numbered compartments, players betting on which number the ball will come to rest in.
n
a situation or process characterized by unpredictability and high risk.
Etymology
the word roulette entered english directly from french in the 18th century, coinciding with the game's popularity. its french origin, 'roulette', is a diminutive form of 'rouelle' (a small wheel), which traces back to the late latin 'rotella', a diminutive of the classical latin 'rota' (wheel). this latin root 'rota' is itself derived from the proto-indo-european h₃reth₂- (to run, to roll), a root shared by words like 'rotate' and 'rotary'. thus, the literal 'little wheel' from its french name perfectly and logically describes the central apparatus of the gambling game, and by extension, has come to metaphorically signify any situation of chancy, wheel-of-fortune-like uncertainty.
Analysis
this word is a loanword from french, adopted as a simplex form. the french word 'roulette' is a diminutive of 'rouelle', meaning 'small wheel', which itself derives from the latin 'rota', meaning 'wheel'.
Examples
he lost a considerable sum playing roulette at the casino.
choosing a startup to invest in can feel like a game of roulette.
the bullet spun in the chamber of the revolver in a deadly game of russian roulette.