[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/oddball/)

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# oddball

noun (an oddball, oddballs); adjective (oddball) — informal

«oddball» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (informal) A person who behaves in a strange or unusual way. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/oddball/#m1)
2. (informal, adjective) Strange or unusual: an oddball idea. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/oddball/#m2)

### In the lessons

An informal everyday word. It can be friendly (someone fun and different) or unkind (someone left out). In stories, an «oddball» character is often quirky and later becomes a hero. Kindness lessons may talk about not leaving out people who seem different.

### Examples

- My uncle is a bit of an oddball, but he is great fun. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/oddball/#x1)
- She had an oddball idea to paint the shed purple. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/oddball/#x2)
- The film is about a group of oddballs who become friends. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/oddball/#x3)
- Don't call him an oddball; everyone is different. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/oddball/#x4)
- It's an oddball little shop full of old toys. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/oddball/#x5)
- The class oddball turned out to be brilliant at chess. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/oddball/#x6)

### Note

Informal. Countable noun: an oddball, oddballs. Uses «an» because it starts with a vowel sound. Can hurt if used to mock someone. Similar: weirdo (ruder), eccentric (more formal, often kinder).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «oddball» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/oddball/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«oddball» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/oddball.html) on Mova free.