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hazard — a danger or risk

Part of speech: NOUN

Definition: a danger or risk

Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈhæzərd/

Example Sentences

  • The banana peel on the floor was a slip hazard waiting to happen.
  • I wouldn't hazard a guess about my wife's age - that's too dangerous!
  • Chemical hazards in the laboratory require special safety equipment.

hazard

NOUN

[/ˈhæzərd/]

a danger or risk

The workers identified a serious hazard before construction began.
💡 Concept

The workers identified a serious hazard before construction began.

The chemical spill created a major hazard for the town. (HARM + DANGER = HAZARD → something that could cause injury, damage, or loss)
🧠 Mnemonic

The chemical spill created a major hazard for the town. (HARM + DANGER = HAZARD → something that could cause injury, damage, or loss)

The wizard measures the hazard of the blizzard
🎵 Rhyme

The wizard measures the hazard of the blizzard

Got the picture? Now let's practice.

🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/ˈhæzərd/
🇬🇧 UK/ˈhæzəd/

🌳Etymology

Roothazard

Origin

From Old French 'hasard', which came from Arabic 'al-zahr' meaning 'the die' or 'dice'. The word originally referred to a game of chance played with dice, and later evolved to mean any risky or uncertain situation.

Breakdown

The word is not composed of English morphemes but comes directly from Old French 'hasard' (from Arabic 'al-zahr' = the die/dice). In English, it remains a single root word with no productive internal morpheme structure, though it can take suffixes like -ous (hazardous) or -ize (hazardize).

🎵Rhyme

wizard
lizard
blizzard

🔗Collocations

fire hazard
traffic hazard
health hazard
hazard a guess
environmental hazard
occupational hazard

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

“The banana peel on the floor was a slip hazard waiting to happen.”

😄 Fun example

“I wouldn't hazard a guess about my wife's age - that's too dangerous!”

“Chemical hazards in the laboratory require special safety equipment.”

😄 Fun example

“Would you hazard a trip to the haunted house on Halloween?”

📚Related Words

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