Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

odds

/ɑdz/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.28 in modern English

Syllables: odds
IPA: /ɑdz/

6

Scrabble Score

4

Letters

1

Syllables

3

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The ratio of the probability of an event happening to that of it not happening.

noun

The ratio of winnings to stake in betting situations.

noun

An advantage given to a weaker opponent in order to equalize the game when playing casually, usually by removing one of the stronger player's pieces or by giving the weaker player more time.

noun

noun

Example Sentences

"I'd say the odds are strongly in favor of the sun rising tomorrow morning."
"A thouſand Perſean horſemen are at hand, Sent from the King to ouercome vs all. […] A thouſand horſmen? We fiue hundred foote? An ods too great, for vs to ſtand againſt: […]"
"Temperatures at that time stayed very low, and the search manager at the scene believed that the odds of finding Ryan alive in those conditions were poor."
"I looked at the odds given by all bookmakers."
"She beat me with knight odds but lost with rook odds."
"The grandmaster gave his opponents significant time odds, of one minute versus ten minutes."

Etymology

From odd (“uneven, strange”).

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ɑdz/
British English: /ɒdz/

Derived Forms

oddsboard oddsmaker oddsmaking oddsman oddswise

Phrases

against all odds at all odds at odds beat the odds by all odds even odds fixed odds implied odds

Frequently Paired Words

even money evens

Synonyms

chance betting odds

Rhymes With

gods rods squads pods nods quads facades dodds wads prods at odds lodz

Questions

How do you pronounce odds?: The recorded pronunciation is /ɑdz/.
What does odds mean?: The ratio of the probability of an event happening to that of it not happening.
Where does odds come from?: From odd (“uneven, strange”).

How to pronounce odds

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “odds”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ɑdz/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “odds”.
Repeat and practice — Say “odds” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.