Understanding the Origins and Meanings of 'Odd'

The video explores the word 'odd', tracing its origins from the Indo-European root 'uzdho', meaning 'pointing upwards'. Old Norse speakers adapted it to 'oddi', referring to a triangle, and later to anything unpaired. The term evolved to describe odd numbers and the 'odd man' in voting. By the 16th century, 'odd' came to mean peculiar, reflecting its modern usage.

What is the original meaning of the Indo-European root 'uzdho'?

• Pointing downwards

• Pointing upwards

• Pointing inwards

• Pointing sideways

In Old Norse, what did the word 'oddi' originally refer to?

• A rectangle

• A triangle

• A square

• A circle

What characteristic of a triangle led to the word 'oddi' being associated with something unmatched?

• Its pointed shape

• Its three angles

• Its three sides

• Its symmetry

In Old Norse, what did 'oddi' come to mean in terms of numbers?

• Numbers divisible by two

• Numbers not divisible by two

• Prime numbers

• Even numbers

What role did the 'odda mathr' play in Old Norse society?

• A leader of the tribe

• A warrior in battle

• A religious figure

• A man who could break a tie

Which concept did the English borrow from Old Norse related to 'odd'?

• Odd triangle

• Odd number

• Odd color

• Odd shape

What modern meaning did the notion of the 'odd man out' give rise to?

• Peculiar

• Ordinary

• Common

• Strange