English · Word Candidate

lottery

/ˈlɒtəɹi/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: lotteries

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A scheme for the distribution of prizes by lot or chance, especially a gaming scheme in which one or more tickets bearing particular numbers draw prizes, the other tickets are blanks.

Noun

Examples

Dave plays the lottery almost every week, but always picks different numbers.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Something decided by chance.

Noun

Examples

It's a bit of a lottery whether we'll get a good table in that diner.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “lottery” mean?

A scheme for the distribution of prizes by lot or chance, especially a gaming scheme in which one or more tickets bearing particular numbers draw prizes, the other tickets are blanks.

Is “lottery” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.