Where does “oddity” come from?
oddity (English) comes from English odd, from Middle English odde, from Old Norse oddi, from Old Norse -i, from Latin -ē, from Latin dis-, from Latin calceus, from Latin calx — small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble.
oddity (English): An odd or strange thing or opinion; A strange...
Definitions
- An odd or strange thing or opinion; A strange...
Ancestry of “oddity”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | odd | Differing from what is usual, ordinary or... |
| 2 | Middle English | odde | inflection of od:
## weak singular
## strong/weak... |
| 3 | Old Norse | oddi | odd, third or additional number; triangle |
| 4 | Old Norse | -i | — |
| 5 | Latin | -ē | — |
| 6 | Latin | dis- | asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;... |
| 7 | Latin | calceus | shoe |
| 8 | Latin | calx | limestone; chalk; the finish line |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | χάλιξ | small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble |