English Reference

Word

lotto

Phoneticslot·to

US/ˈɫɑˌtoʊ/

UK/lˈɒtəʊ/

Definition

n. a game of chance where you buy a ticket with numbers on it. If your numbers match the ones chosen by luck, you win a prize.

n. a game of chance in which participants purchase tickets with specific numbers, with prizes awarded to those whose numbers are selected by a random draw.

Examples

“He plays the lotto every Saturday night.”

“The local lotto jackpot reached ten million dollars after nobody won for three consecutive weeks.”

“While many view the lotto as a harmless form of entertainment, economists often describe it as a regressive tax because it disproportionately attracts spending from lower-income households.”

Examples

simple

“He plays the lotto every Saturday night.”

contextual

“The local lotto jackpot reached ten million dollars after nobody won for three consecutive weeks.”

complex

“While many view the lotto as a harmless form of entertainment, economists often describe it as a regressive tax because it disproportionately attracts spending from lower-income households.”

Usage

Often used as a synonym for 'lottery' in informal or regional contexts.

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian lotto. Doublet of lot.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
B1 · Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference