lottery

noun

lot·​tery ˈlä-tə-rē How to pronounce lottery (audio)
 also  ˈlä-trē
plural lotteries
often attributive
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

Examples of lottery in a Sentence

They held a lottery to determine who could get a green card. Room assignments are determined by lottery. Life's a lottery, isn't it? It all depends on luck.
Recent Examples on the Web The largest prize in U.S. lottery history was a $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot from a single ticket sold near Los Angeles in February 2023. Brian Dakss, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2024 There have only been five jackpots that have exceeded $1 billion in Mega Millions history, according to the lottery game. Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2024 Authorities seize 750-pound pet alligator in upstate New York See you later, alligator! TODAY’S NUMBER $875 million That’s how much the Mega Millions lottery jackpot has climbed to following 28 consecutive drawings with no ticket matching all six numbers, according to Mega Millions. Alexandra Banner, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024 What is the Powerball payout on matching 2 lottery numbers? Evan Frank, The Indianapolis Star, 18 Mar. 2024 The draft lottery odds for the team with the second-worst record drop to 13.5 percent, and 11.5 percent for the third-worst team. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024 On the first day of the month, a 500X Money Maker instant ticket worth $6 million was claimed by an Ottawa County lottery club. Tanya Wildt, Detroit Free Press, 12 Mar. 2024 Her plans for her windfall include some repairs in her home, according to lottery officials. Makiya Seminera, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024 Currently, 65,000 visas—a figure that hasn’t changed in more than two decades—can be awarded each year via a lottery, while another 20,000 can go to those who earn a graduate degree in the U.S. Demand is overwhelming supply: In 2023, hundreds of thousands of applicants were denied. Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lottery.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French loterie, probably borrowed from Middle Dutch loterye, from loten "to draw lots" (derivative of lot "lot, prediction, destiny," going back to Germanic *hluta-) + -erye -ery — more at lot entry 1

Note: Alternatively the Middle Dutch word could have been borrowed from Middle French loterie (despite the French word's later date), perhaps a calque on Middle Dutch lotinge "action of drawing lots" (thus the Oxford English Dictionary, third edition). The earliest state-sponsored lotteries in Europe were held in the cities of Flanders in the first half of the 15th century. The first English state lottery was held in 1569, with advertisements using the word lotterie having been printed two years earlier.

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of lottery was in 1567

Dictionary Entries Near lottery

Cite this Entry

“Lottery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lottery. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lottery

noun
lot·​tery ˈlät-ə-rē How to pronounce lottery (audio)
ˈlä-trē
plural lotteries
: a drawing of lots in which prizes are given to the winning names or numbers

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