oddball — a person who behaves in a strange or eccentric way
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a person who behaves in a strange or eccentric way
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈɑːdbɔːl/
Example Sentences
- My professor is a real oddball - he teaches calculus while juggling tennis balls.
- The new employee seemed like an oddball at first, but his creative ideas impressed everyone.
- She's the oddball of the family who collects vintage doorknobs and speaks to plants.
oddball
NOUN[/ˈɑːdbɔːl/]
a person who behaves in a strange or eccentric way
Everyone wears suits, but the oddball shows up in a dinosaur costume.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Oddball emerged in 1940s American English as a compound word combining 'odd' (strange, unusual) and 'ball' (sphere). The term originated from baseball terminology, where it described an unpredictable pitch, and was later extended metaphorically to refer to an eccentric or unpredictable person.
Breakdown
odd (strange, unusual) + ball (sphere, object) = an unpredictable or eccentric person. The compound leverages the baseball sense of 'ball' as a pitch that behaves unexpectedly.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My professor is a real oddball - he teaches calculus while juggling tennis balls.”
“The new employee seemed like an oddball at first, but his creative ideas impressed everyone.”
“She's the oddball of the family who collects vintage doorknobs and speaks to plants.”
“Every office has that one oddball who microwaves fish in the break room.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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