/ ɒd; NAmE ɑːd/ adjective
( odder , oddest )
STRANGE
1.
strange or unusual :
They're very odd people.
There's something odd about that man.
It's most odd that (= very odd that) she hasn't written.
The odd thing was that he didn't recognize me.
She had the oddest feeling that he was avoiding her.
—compare peculiar
ODD-
2.
(in compounds) strange or unusual in the way mentioned :
an odd-looking house
an odd-sounding name
NOT REGULAR / OFTEN
3.
the odd [ only before noun ] (no comparative or superlative) happening or appearing occasionally; not very regular or frequent
SYN occasional :
He makes the odd mistake—nothing too serious.
VARIOUS
4.
[ only before noun ] (no comparative or superlative) of no particular type or size; various :
decorations made of odd scraps of paper
NOT MATCHING
5.
[ usually before noun ] (no comparative or superlative) not with the pair or set that it belongs to; not matching :
You're wearing odd socks!
NUMBERS
6.
(no comparative or superlative) ( of numbers ) that cannot be divided exactly by the number two :
1, 3, 5 and 7 are odd numbers.
OPP even
AVAILABLE
7.
[ only before noun ] available; that sb can use
SYN spare :
Could I see you when you've got an odd moment ?
APPROXIMATELY
8.
(no comparative or superlative; usually placed immediately after a number) approximately or a little more than the number mentioned :
How old is she—seventy odd?
He's worked there for twenty-odd years.
► odd·ness noun [ U ]:
the oddness of her appearance
His oddness frightened her.
•
IDIOMS
- the odd man / one out
—more at fish noun
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the numerical sense): from Old Norse odda- , found in combinations such as odda-mathr third or odd man, from oddi angle.