DictionaryAI

lottery

noun
LOT-ur-ee/ˈlɑtɚi/UKLOT-uh-ree/ˈlɒtəɹi/

Plurallotteries

3 meanings of lottery

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable
    A game where people buy numbered tickets, and the drawn numbers win prizes.

    Like drawing names from a hat: only a few lucky tickets win.

    She bought a lottery ticket every week, hoping to win big.

    He won the lottery and used the money to buy a new house.

    Similardraw, lotto, sweepstake, raffle

    Note
  2. 2
    nounfigurativelycountable
    Something that is decided by luck, not by skill or choice.

    Like a coin flip: you can't tell which way it will land.

    Getting a good seat on the morning train is a total lottery.

    Which doctor you end up seeing can feel like a lottery.

    Similargamble, crapshoot, toss-up

    Oppositecertainty

    Note
  3. 3
    nounobsolete
    A share or part that is given to someone as their own.
    Note

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Origin

It came from the Italian word "lotteria." This shares a root with the old word for "lot."