Where does “odds” come from?
Odds comes from Middle English od, from Old Norse oddr meaning "point" or "angle," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dʰeh₁- meaning "to place" or "to put."
odds (English): The ratio of the probability of an event...
Definitions
- The ratio of the probability of an event...
Ancestry of “odds”, 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 | th |
| 5 | Latin | -ē | ly; used to form adverbs from adjectives |
| 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 |