lottery

The definition of a lottery is a game of chance where money is raised by selling tickets that offer a chance to win a big prize, or a drawing.

(noun)

The PowerBall where you buy a ticket for $1 and have a chance of winning millions is an example of a lottery.
The drawing for the opportunity to purchase a limited available season tickets is an example of a lottery.

See lottery in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun pl. lotteries

a game of chance in which people buy numbered tickets, and prizes are given to those whose numbers are drawn by lot: sometimes sponsored by a state or organization as a means of raising funds
any undertaking that involves chance selections, as by the drawing of lots: military draft lottery

Origin: MFr loterie < MDu loterije < lot, lot

See lottery in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. lot·ter·ies

A contest in which tokens are distributed or sold, the winning token or tokens being secretly predetermined or ultimately selected in a random drawing.
A selection made by lot from a number of applicants or competitors: The state uses a lottery to assign spaces in the campground.
An activity or event regarded as having an outcome depending on fate: They considered combat duty a lottery.

Origin:

Origin: French loterie

Origin: , probably from Dutch loterije

Origin: , from Middle Dutch

Origin: , from lot, lot

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