n.
Pronunciation: ' lä-t ə -r ē also ' lä-tr ē
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -ter · ies
Usage: often attrib
Etymology: Middle French loterie, from Middle Dutch, from lot lot; akin to Old English hlot lot
Date: 1567
1 a : a drawing of lots in which prizes are distributed to the winners among persons buying a chance b : a drawing of lots used to decide something
2 : an event or affair whose outcome is or seems to be determined by chance