lottery
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian lotteria, from the same root as Old English hlot (cognate with English lot). Compare French loterie (from Middle Dutch loterie). By surface analysis, lot + -ery
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈlɒtəɹi/, /ˈlɒtɹi/
Audio (UK) (file) - (General American) IPA(key): /ˈlɑtɚi/
Audio (US) (file) - Hyphenation: lot‧te‧ry
- Rhymes: -ɒtəɹi, -ɒtɹi
Noun
lottery (plural lotteries)
- A scheme for the distribution of prizes by lot or chance, especially a gaming scheme in which one or more tickets bearing particular numbers draw prizes, the other tickets are blanks.
- Dave plays the lottery almost every week, but always picks different numbers.
- (figuratively) Something decided by chance.
- It's a bit of a lottery whether we'll get a good table in that diner.
- (obsolete) Allotment; a thing allotted.
Derived terms
Translations
scheme for the distribution of prizes by lot or chance
|
something decided by chance
allotment
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