Oddity
/ˈɒd.ɪ.ti/noun
A peculiar or unusual thing, person, or event.
Did you know?In medieval times, the term 'odd' was linked to the supernatural, suggesting that strange occurrences were signs from the otherworldly.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
āþ
“An oath; something that is sworn to, often invoking supernatural forces.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
audaz
“Possessing a unique or strange quality, linked to fortune or fate.”
Latin
Latin
odiōsus
“Hateful, detestable, suggesting something repellent or strange.”
Late Middle English
ME
oddite
“A term describing something peculiar or differing from the norm.”
Modern English
English
oddity
“A noun denoting a remarkable or unusual person or thing.”