oddball

English

Wikipedia

Etymology

From odd + ball?

This definition is lacking an etymology or has an incomplete etymology. You can help Wiktionary by giving it a proper etymology.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA: /ˈɑːdˌbɔl/, X-SAMPA: /"A:d%bO:l/

Noun

oddball (plural oddballs)

1. An eccentric or unusual person.
   • 1989, Maris Soule, Storybook Hero, page 5:

     "She's different, mister. A real oddball, if you know what I mean. But your little girl would love her. All kids love the Doll Lady."

Translations

eccentric person

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 怪人 (cmn) (guàirén)

• Czech: podivín (cs) m
• Dutch: kwast (nl)
• French: excentrique (fr) m and f
• German: Spinner (de) m, Exzentriker (de) m
• Japanese: 変人 (ja) (へんじん, henjin)

• Norwegian: eksentriker (no)
• Romanian: ciudat (ro) m
• Russian: сумасброд (ru) (sumasbród) m , чудак (ru) (čudák) m , эксцентрик (ru) (ekscéntrik) m 

See also

• weirdo
• queer fish

Adjective

oddball (not comparable)

1. Exotic, not mainstream, such as an oddball word or an oddball computer program.
   • 1984, Steven K. Roberts, The Complete Guide to Microsystem Management:

     An oddball word processor, for example, might never be supported by such helpful tools as spelling checkers, indexing programs, footnote utilities,...