odder; oddest
1
: differing markedly from the usual, ordinary, or accepted : peculiar
a very odd way to show gratitude
2
a
: not regular, expected, or planned
worked at odd jobs
b
: encountered or experienced from time to time : occasional
manages to get in some reading at odd moments
3
a
: being without a corresponding (see corresponding sense 1) mate
an odd shoe
b(1)
: left over after others are paired or grouped
came without his wife and thus turned out to be the odd guest at the party
(2)
: separated from a set or series
had in his possession only two or three odd volumes of the original 12-volume set
4
a
: being any of the integers (such as −3, −1, +1, and +3) that are not divisible by two without leaving a remainder
b
: marked by an odd number of units
needed two odd-length boards, one of three feet and one of five feet
c
: being a function (see function entry 1 sense 5a) such that f (−x) = −f (x) where the sign is reversed but the absolute value remains the same if the sign of the independent variable is reversed
5
a
: somewhat more than the indicated approximate quantity, extent, or degree
—usually used in combination
300-odd pages
b(1)
: left over as a remainder
had a few odd dollars left after paying his bills
(2)
: constituting a small amount
had some odd change in her pocket
6
: having an out-of-the-way location : remote
found it in some odd corner of the house
oddness
noun
Examples of odd in a Sentence
Adjective
She had an odd look on her face.
People would call at odd hours during the night.
She's got a really odd sense of humor.
Some rather odd people used to live in this house.
There was something odd about his story.
It's odd that nobody told me about this before.
That's odd. He was here a minute ago.
That is one of the oddest creatures I have ever seen.
She kept a stack of magazines that she would read at odd moments.
During the summer, he would do odd jobs for his neighbors to earn extra money.
Recent Examples on the Web
Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Oct. 2025
Firefighters in Mississippi were presented with an odd request that had to do with a family remodeling their kitchen, and a missing dog.
—Tj MacIas, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2025
These states had traditionally conducted their state-office elections in odd years dating back to the antebellum period.
—Time, 29 Oct. 2025
People may see it as odd or unusual.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for odd
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
Because half of the commissioners are elected in even years and the other half in odd years, residents who used to be in Precinct 2 and are now in Precinct 1 will not have the opportunity to vote in the March primary or the election in November 2026.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Oct. 2025
Firefighters in Mississippi were presented with an odd request that had to do with a family remodeling their kitchen, and a missing dog.
—Tj MacIas, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2025
These states had traditionally conducted their state-office elections in odd years dating back to the antebellum period.
—Time, 29 Oct. 2025
People may see it as odd or unusual.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for odd
Cite this Entry
“Odd.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/odd. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
odd
adjective1
: being only one of a pair or set
an odd shoe
2
: somewhat more than the number mentioned
50-odd years ago
3
a
: being any number that cannot be divided evenly by 2
1, 3, 5, and 7 are odd numbers
b
: marked by an odd number
an odd year
4
: additional to or apart from what is usual, expected, or planned on
odd jobs
5
: not usual or traditional : strange
what an odd thing to do
oddness
noun
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English odde "odd," from an early Norse word oddi (noun) "a point of land, triangle, odd number"
Word Origin
In the early Norse language, the word oddi was first used to mean "a point of land." Then, because one corner of a triangle looks something like a point of land sticking out into the sea, oddi came to mean "triangle." A triangle that has one long point, like a point of land, may be thought of as having two paired angles and one angle left over. In time, the Norse came to call something that was not matched or paired up "oddi." This was used for an odd number, one left over after all other numbers were paired up. It was also used for an odd man, one who in a voting situation could break a tie with his vote. When the word was taken into English in the Middle Ages, it had the meaning of an odd number like 3, 5, or 7 that cannot be divided evenly by 2. Later it came to mean something that stood out from others as being different or strange.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share