odd
od
Odd (adj) means Strange, unusual, or not what you would expect. Example: “There was an odd smell coming from the basement.”
adj
1
Strange, unusual, or not what you would expect.
"There was an odd smell coming from the basement."
"It struck her as odd that he never mentioned his brother."
"It was odd that the shop was closed in the middle of the afternoon."
2
Of a whole number: not divisible evenly by two.
"Three, five, and seven are all odd numbers."
"The houses on the left side of our street all have odd numbers."
"If you roll an odd number, you move forward two spaces."
3
Left over or unmatched, such as one item from a pair or set.
"He was left holding the odd sock after the wash."
"I found an odd glove in the drawer, but its partner was missing."
"She keeps a jar of odd buttons that have lost their matching sets."
4
Placed after a round number to mean "a little more than".
"The old shop sold two hundred-odd books on its shelves."
"There were forty-odd people waiting outside when the doors opened."
"She's owned that car for thirty-odd years."
How to use odd
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishStrange, or (in math) not divisible by two, or (of items) unmatched/left over.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
an odd number
odd one out
odd jobs
act odd
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Word forms
- Plural
- odds
- Comparative
- odder
- Superlative
- oddest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
There was an _____ smell coming from the basement.
Etymology
From Old Norse oddi, meaning "point" or "triangle" — an object that stuck out on its own rather than pairing neatly with another, which is how it came to mean "leftover" or "unmatched".
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for odd
See all rhymes for odd →Frequently asked questions
What does “odd” mean?
The word “odd” means strange, unusual, or not what you would expect. In plain terms, strange, or (in math) not divisible by two, or (of items) unmatched/left over.
How do you pronounce “odd”?
“Odd” is pronounced od (/ɑd/ in IPA).
How do you use “odd” in a sentence?
Here is “odd” used in a sentence: “There was an odd smell coming from the basement.”
What part of speech is “odd”?
“Odd” is an adjective.
Where does the word “odd” come from?
The word “odd” comes from Old Norse. From Old Norse oddi, meaning "point" or "triangle" — an object that stuck out on its own rather than pairing neatly with another, which is how it came to mean "leftover" or "unmatched".
Is “odd” a common word?
“Odd” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “odd” have?
“Odd” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: strange, unusual, or not what you would expect.
What is the difference between odd and even?
In mathematics the two are opposites: an even number can be divided exactly by two, while an odd number cannot, always leaving a remainder of one. Away from numbers, odd has a second everyday meaning of strange or unusual, and it is this sense that most often causes confusion with words like weird.
What is an example of something odd?
You might call it odd if a shop is closed on a busy afternoon with no notice, or if a friend suddenly starts behaving out of character. The word suits anything unexpected, puzzling, or slightly out of place, from a strange noise in the night to an unusual choice of clothing.
Is odd a negative word?
Not strongly. Odd mostly signals that something is unusual or unexpected rather than clearly bad, and it can even sound gently amusing or intriguing. Tone and context decide: calling an idea odd is mild, but describing a person as odd can feel a little unkind depending on how it is said.
What is the difference between odd and strange?
The two are close and often interchangeable. Odd tends to suggest something mildly unusual or not quite as expected, while strange can feel a little stronger, hinting at something harder to explain or even unsettling. In casual speech, though, most people use them to mean much the same thing.
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