What does oddment mean?
An oddment is something left over or set apart from a larger group. The word can describe a single miscellaneous item, such as an old key or a stray piece of cloth, or several such items considered together. It commonly suggests that the object is unimportant, unexpected, or no longer connected with the main collection. For example, a box of oddments might contain spare buttons, outdated notices, and other remnants. The term is more distinctive and formal than simply “leftovers” or “bits and pieces,” and it can carry a slightly nostalgic tone when used for objects that survived the dismantling or sorting of a household or collection. In figurative use, an oddment may be a small portion of a larger subject that is separate from its main structure or argument. Its unusual rarity makes it particularly useful when precision is more important than familiarity.
nounAn oddment is an item that is left over, separate, or not part of a larger collection. It may refer to one miscellaneous object or to a group of such remnants.
- A leftover item or remnant, especially one of a miscellaneous collection.
- A small, separate, or apparently insignificant part of something larger.
"She kept the oddments from the cupboard, including a cracked teapot and a tangle of string."
"The sale included a number of oddments from the old house, such as faded photographs and unmatched cutlery."
"He treated the final paragraph as an oddment rather than allowing it to disrupt the argument."
The usual plural is oddments, especially when referring to a collection of miscellaneous leftover items.
"They donated the old equipment and other oddments to the charity shop."
Oddment is a quietly useful word for the things that survive after everything has been sorted, selected, or put in its proper place.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does oddment come from?
Oddment comes from the adjective odd, in the sense of a remainder or something unmatched. The suffix -ment is an English formation expressing an action, result, or thing resulting from a process; here it developed a noun meaning a leftover or miscellaneous item. The word shares its origin with oddity, oddness, and oddly, all of which belong to the same long-established family based on odd.
Related word forms
How oddment is actually used
The word is somewhat formal and literary, though it is also used in ordinary descriptive contexts. It often conveys the sense of an item that has been detached from its original group or remains after a selection has been made.
Easily confused with oddment
An oddment is a leftover or miscellaneous item, whereas an ornament is something used to decorate or embellish an object or setting.