• Weird

    Pronunciation

    • RP IPA: /wɪəd/
    • US IPA: /wiÉšd/, /wɪɚd/
    • Rhymes: -ɪə(r)d

    Alternative forms

    Origin

    From Middle English werde, wierde, wirde, wyrede, wurde, from Old English wyrd, wurd ("that which happens, fate, chance, fortune, destiny, Fate, the Fates, Providence, event, phenomenon, transaction, fact, deed"), from Proto-Germanic *wurdiz ("fate, destiny"), from Proto-Indo-European *wert- ("to turn, wind"). Cognate with Middle Low German wrd, wrth ("fate, death"), Middle High German wurt ("fate, death"), Icelandic urður ("fate"). Related to Old English weorþan ("to become"). More at worth.

    Full definition of weird

    Noun

    weird

    (plural weirds)
    1. (archaic) Fate; destiny; luck.
      • 1912, Euripides, , trans. Arthur S. Way (Heinemenn 1946, p. 361)In the weird of death shall the hapless be whelmed, and from Doom’s dark prison
        Shall she steal forth never again.
    2. A prediction.
    3. (obsolete, Scotland) A spell or charm.
    4. That which comes to pass; a fact.
    5. (archaic, in the plural) The Fates (personified).

    Synonyms

    Derived terms

    Adjective

    weird

    1. Connected with fate or destiny; able to influence fate.
    2. Of or pertaining to witches or witchcraft; supernatural; unearthly; suggestive of witches, witchcraft, or unearthliness; wild; uncanny.
      • LongfellowThose sweet, low tones, that seemed like a weird incantation.
      • Shakespeare, Macbeth, Act 1 Scene 5Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from the king, who all-hailed me, 'Thane of Cawdor'; by which title, before, these weird sisters saluted me, and referred me to the coming on of time, with 'Hail, king that shalt be!'
    3. Having supernatural or preternatural power.There was a weird light shining above the hill.
    4. Having an unusually strange character or behaviour.There are lots of weird people in this place.
    5. Deviating from the normal; bizarre.It was quite weird to bump into all my ex-girlfriends on the same day.
    6. (archaic) Of or pertaining to the Fates.

    Usage notes

    Weird is one of the most noted exceptions to the I before E except after C spelling heuristic.

    Synonyms

    Derived terms

    Verb

    1. (transitive) To destine; doom; change by witchcraft or sorcery.
    2. (transitive) To warn solemnly; adjure.
    3. (transitive) See weird out.That joke really weirded me out.

    Anagrams

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