odd

odd
odd (adj.) c.1300, "constituting a unit in excess of an even number," from O.N. oddi "third or additional number," as in odda-maðr "third man, odd man (who gives the casting vote)," odda-tala "odd number." The literal meaning of O.N. oddi is "point of land, angle" (related via notion of "triangle" to oddr "point of a weapon"); from P.Gmc. *uzdaz "pointed upward" (Cf. O.E. ord "point of a weapon, spear, source, beginning," O.Fris. ord "point, place," Du. oord "place, region," O.H.G. ort "point," Ger. Ort "place"), from PIE *uzdho- (Cf. Lith. us-nis "thistle"). None of the other languages, however, shows the Old Norse development from "point" to "third number." Used from late 14c. to indicate a surplus over any given sum.
Sense of "strange, peculiar" first attested 1580s from notion of "odd one out, unpaired one of three" (attested earlier, c.1400, as "singular" in a positive sense of "renowned, rare, choice"). Odd job (c.1770) is so called from notion of "not regular." Odd lot "incomplete or random set" is from 1897. The international order of Odd Fellows began as local social clubs in England, late 18c., with Masonic-type trappings; formally organized 1813 in Manchester.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Odd — Della Robbia Odd Della Robbia est un des héros de la série Code Lyoko. Odd Della Robbia Personnage de Code Lyoko Naissance 1992 Origi …   Wikipédia en Français

  • odd — W3S1 [ɔd US a:d] adj comparative odder superlative oddest ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(strange)¦ 2 the odd occasion/day/moment/drink etc 3¦(various)¦ 4¦(not in a pair/set)¦ 5 odd number 6 20 odd/30 odd etc 7 the odd man/one out ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • odd — [ ad ] adjective *** ▸ 1 unusual ▸ 2 not frequent/regular ▸ 3 of different types etc. ▸ 4 not even in number ▸ 5 lacking its pair ▸ 6 not exact in number ▸ + PHRASES 1. ) unusual or unexpected in a way that attracts your interest or attention:… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Odd — ([o^]d), a. [Compar. {Odder} ([o^]d [ e]r); superl. {Oddest}.] [OE. odde, fr. Icel. oddi a tongue of land, a triangle, an odd number (from the third or odd angle, or point, of a triangle), orig., a point, tip; akin to Icel. oddr point, point of a …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Odd — is an adjective denoting the quality of being unpaired, occasional, strange or unusual, or a person who is viewed as eccentric. Odd may also refer to: In mathematics, the term odd is used in several senses related to even: even and odd numbers,… …   Wikipedia

  • Odd — ist ein norwegischer männlicher Vorname, der selten auch in Dänemark und Schweden vorkommt.[1] Die isländische Form des Namens ist Oddur.[2] Herkunft und Bedeutung Abgeleitet ist der Name möglicherweise von dem altnordischen oddr mit der… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • odd — [äd] adj. [ME odde < ON oddi, point of land, triangle, hence (from the third angle) odd number, akin to OE ord, a point < Gmc * uzda (> Ger ort, place, orig., point) < IE * uds (< base * ud , up > OUT) + * dho , var. of * dhē,… …   English World dictionary

  • odd — odd; odd·ish; odd·i·ty; odd·ling; odd·ly; odd·ment; odd·ness; …   English syllables

  • odd — ► ADJECTIVE 1) unusual or unexpected; strange. 2) (of whole numbers such as 3 and 5) having one left over as a remainder when divided by two. 3) (in combination ) in the region of: fifty odd years. 4) occasional: we have the odd drink together.… …   English terms dictionary

  • odd — / oddball [adj1] unusual, abnormal atypical, avant garde, bizarre, character, crazy, curious, deviant, different, eccentric, erratic, exceptional, extraordinary, fantastic, flaky*, freak*, freakish*, freaky*, funny, idiosyncratic, irregular,… …   New thesaurus

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