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

: a game of chance like craps played with two dice

: a source of danger

a : chance, risk

b : a chance event : accident

obsolete : stake 3a

: a golf-course obstacle

— at hazard

: at stake

See hazard defined for English-language learners

See hazard defined for kids

Origin of HAZARD

Middle English, from Anglo-French hasard, from Old Spanish azar, from Arabic al-zahr the die

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to HAZARD

Synonyms: danger, imminence, menace, peril, pitfall, risk, threat, trouble

Rhymes with HAZARD

mazzard

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

: venture, risk <hazard a guess as to the outcome>

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

AT 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”).