odd S1 W3 AC /ɒd $ ɑːd/ BrE AmE adjective ( comparative odder , superlative oddest )
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ oddity ; adverb : ↑ oddly ; adjective : ↑ odd ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old Norse ; Origin: oddi 'point of land, triangle, odd number' ]
1 . STRANGE different from what is normal or expected, especially in a way that you disapprove of or cannot understand:
It was an odd thing to say.
an odd way to behave
They’re an odd couple.
There was something odd about him.
What she did was unforgivable, but the odd thing was he didn’t seem to mind.
She was holding an extremely odd-looking weapon.
it is/seems odd (that)
It seemed odd that he wanted a picture of me.
2 . the odd occasion/day/moment/drink etc especially British English a few occasions, days etc that happen at various times but not often and not regularly SYN occasional :
Lack of sleep doesn’t matter on the odd occasion.
I take the odd day off work.
I like the odd glass of wine with my dinner.
Jo smokes the odd cigarette.
3 . VARIOUS [only before noun] not specially chosen or collected:
Any odd scrap of paper will do.
4 . NOT IN A PAIR/SET [only before noun] separated from a pair or set:
an odd shoe
odd socks/gloves etc (=not a matching pair of socks etc)
He was wearing odd socks.
5 . odd number a number that cannot be divided exactly by two, for example 1, 3, 5, 7 etc OPP even number
6 . 20-odd/30-odd etc spoken a little more than 20 etc:
I have another 20-odd years to work before I retire.
7 . the odd man/one out British English someone or something that is different from the rest of the group or not included in it:
Which shape is the odd one out?
I was always the odd one out at school.
—oddness noun [uncountable]
⇨ ↑ oddly
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ strange unusual or surprising, especially in a way that is difficult to understand, or that is a little frightening:
What’s that strange noise downstairs?
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That’s strange – I’m sure I left my keys on the table.
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a strange old man
▪ funny/odd especially spoken a little strange and making you feel slightly surprised or worried:
There’s a funny smell in the kitchen.
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It’s odd that you can’t remember him at all.
▪ curious especially written strange, especially in an interesting way. Curious is a little more formal than strange :
a curious fact
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There’s something rather curious about small-town America.
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She remembered curious little details.
▪ mysterious strange – used about something that people know little about and are unable to explain or understand:
He had disappeared in mysterious circumstances.
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There were reports of mysterious lights in the sky.
▪ eccentric strange in a way that seems slightly crazy and amusing – used about people and their behaviour:
He lived completely alone and had some slightly eccentric habits.
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an eccentric old lady
▪ peculiar slightly strange, and different from what you would normally expect – used especially when this is either amusing or worrying:
She sometimes wears rather peculiar clothes.
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He had a peculiar expression on his face.