hazard

UK: ˈhæzəd | US: ˈhæzərd

Definition

  1. n. a danger or risk

  2. n. chance or uncertainty in an outcome (e.g., in games)

  3. vt. to expose to danger or risk

Structure
haz <chance, risk (from Old French *hasard*)>ard <noun suffix (often pejorative or intensive)>
Etymology

The word "hazard" traces back to the Old French hasard, meaning "game of chance" or "risk," which likely derived from Arabic al-zahr (الزهر), referring to dice. The term entered English via medieval gambling contexts, where it denoted unpredictable outcomes. Over time, it broadened to mean any source of danger or uncertainty. The suffix "-ard" (as in "drunkard") reinforces the sense of inherent risk.

Examples

  1. Walking alone at night can be a hazard in this neighborhood.

  2. The game involves an element of hazard, making it unpredictable.

  3. He hazarded a guess despite lacking evidence.

  4. Ice on the roads creates a driving hazard.

  5. The explorer hazarded his life to reach the summit.