First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1hazard
noun haz·ard \ˈha-zərd\
: a source of danger
golf : something on a golf course (such as a pond or an area of sand) that makes hitting the ball into the hole more difficult
Full Definition of HAZARD
1
: a game of chance like craps played with two dice
2
: a source of danger
4
obsolete : stake 3a
5
: a golf-course obstacle
— at hazard
: at stake
See hazard defined for English-language learners
See hazard defined for kids
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Origin of HAZARD
Middle English, from Anglo-French hasard, from Old Spanish azar, from Arabic al-zahr the die
Rhymes with HAZARD
2hazard
verb
: to risk losing (something, such as money) in an attempt to get, win, or achieve something
: to offer (something, such as a guess or an opinion) even though you may be wrong
Full Definition of HAZARD
transitive verb
See hazard defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of HAZARD
1530
Related to HAZARD
- Synonyms
- adventure, compromise, gamble (with), endanger, imperil, jeopard, jeopardize, menace, peril, risk, venture
HAZARD Defined for Kids
1hazard
noun haz·ard \ˈha-zərd\
Definition of HAZARD for Kids
: a source of danger <a fire hazard>
Word History of HAZARD
English hazard was originally the name of a game of chance played with dice. The English word was taken from a medieval French word hasard, which in turn came by way of Spanish from an Arabic phrase az zahr, “the die” (that is, “one of the dice”).
2hazard
verb
haz·ard·edhaz·ard·ing
Definition of HAZARD for Kids
: to offer something (such as a guess or an opinion) at the risk of being wrong
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