lottery English · revision 1667

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈlɒtəɹi/, /ˈlɒtɹi/ ''(UK)''; /ˈlɑtɚi/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|frm|loterie]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate) [[der|dum|loterje]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from ''lot'' “share, lot”.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) Etymonline traces the English word instead to Italian ''lotteria'', from ''lotto'' “lot, portion”, of Germanic origin.^(Etymonline) It is related to [[lot]] and [[lotto]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ An arrangement for distributing prizes by chance among people who buy tickets (1567).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Etymonline notes that lotteries were formerly used to raise money for the state or for charity.^(Etymonline) From 1570 the word also meant the casting of lots, or chance in general, a sense now obsolete,^(OED 1989) and from 1596 it was used figuratively of anything decided by chance.^(OED 1989)^(AHD)^(RHWU) In 1830 it was the name of a round game of cards.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1567 – a distribution of prizes by chance.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1570 – decision by lot; chance, now obsolete.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1596 – figurative, anything decided by chance.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1830 – a card game.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A contest or [[gambling]] game in which tickets are sold and prizes go to those whose tickets are chosen in a random drawing.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A selection made by drawing lots.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # An activity or event whose outcome seems to depend on [[fate]] or chance.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lot]]

+ * [[lotto]]

+ * [[allot]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}