Dictionary / luck
luck
- noun
- verb
- from Middle Dutch
Something that happens to someone by chance, a chance occurrence.
1 All current definitions
Every sense of “luck” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.
noun
- uncountableusuallySomething that happens to someone by chance, a chance occurrence.
The raffle is just a matter of luck.
- Something that happens to someone by chance, a chance occurrence.especiallyuncountableusuallyA favourable chance occurrence.
Sometimes it takes a bit of luck to get success.
- uncountableusuallyA superstitious feeling that brings fortune or success.
He blew on the dice for luck.
- uncountableusuallySuccess.
I tried for ages to find a pair of blue suede shoes, but didn't have any luck.
- uncountableusuallyThe results of a random number generator.
The creators of tool-assisted speedruns often manipulate luck to get the most favorable results in order to save the most time.
verb
- informalintransitiveTo find something through good fortune; used with into, on, onto or upon.
I lucked upon a seat, settled in, nodded off and 20 minutes later heard my name being called by the admitting nurse.2004 December, The Crisis, volume 111, page 50:
Cross-check: WordNet senses (3)
- nounyour overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you) — also: fortune, destiny, fate, lot, circumstances
- nounan unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another — also: fortune, chance, hazard
- nounan unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that leads to a favorable outcome — also: fortune
Synonyms: adventure, accident, casualty, chance, chance-medley, fortune, hap, hazard, joss, luck, serendipity, weird
2 History of the word
The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.
The word’s journey, newest to oldest:
- English (today)luck
- Middle Englishluk
- Middle Dutchluc
From Middle English luk, lukke, from Middle Dutch luc, geluc, gelucke (“good luck, fortune”) or Middle Low German lücke, gelücke (“lot, fortune, fate, luck”), of obscure origin; perhaps ultimately related to German Lücke (“gap, opening”) in the sense of "space or opportunity", hence "chance". Cognate with West Frisian gelok (“luck”), Saterland Frisian Gluk (“luck”), Dutch luk, geluk (“luck, happiness”), Dutch Low Saxon luk (“luck”), German Low German and German Glück (“luck, good fortune, happiness”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål lykke (“luck, happiness”), Norwegian Nynorsk lukke (“luck, happiness”), Swedish lycka (“luck, happiness”), Icelandic lukka (“happiness”). According to the OED, it may be related to lock.
A loanword into English in the 15th century (probably as a gambling term), Middle Dutch luc, gelucke has parallels with Middle High German lücke, gelücke ("luck, skill, chance, profession, livelihood"; whence Modern German Glück). The word occurs only from the 12th century, apparently first in Rhine Frankish. Perhaps from a Frankish *galukki, derived from Proto-Germanic *lukjǭ (“opening”). The word enters standard Middle High German during the 13th century, and spreads to English and Scandinavian in the Late Middle Ages. Its origin seems to have been regional or dialectal, and there were competing German words such as gevelle or schick, or the Latinate fortūne from Latin fortūna. Its etymology is unknown, although there are numerous proposals as to its derivations from a number of roots.
Use as a verb in American English is late (1940s), but there was a Middle English verb lukken (“to chance, to happen by good fortune”) in the 15th century.
Derivatives — words built from “luck”
Phrases & compounds
Related terms
Want to go deeper? See also “luck” on Etymonline ↗
3 Original language
Where “luck” came from before it was English.
The source marks part of this history as uncertain (it uses words like “perhaps” or “possibly”). Read the full etymology above before treating any single origin as certain.
4 Original meaning
What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.
Wiktionary’s etymology does not give a separate meaning for the earliest form of “luck”, so we don’t state one. The historical dictionary entry below shows how the word was understood in 1913.
Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913
A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.
luck n. [Akin to D. luk, geluk, G. gl, Icel. lukka, Sw. lycka, Dan. lykke, and perh. to G. locken to entice. Cf. 3d Gleck.]
- That which happens to a person; an event, good or ill, affecting one's interests or happiness, and which is deemed casual; a course or series of such events regarded as occurring by chance; chance; hap; fate; fortune; often, one's habitual or characteristic fortune; as, good, bad, ill, or hard luck. Luck is often used by itself to mean good luck; as, luck is better than skill; a stroke of luck.
5 Use it with confidence
Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.
nounMeaning: Something that happens to someone by chance, a chance occurrence.
The raffle is just a matter of luck.
Gilbert had some bad luck yesterday — he got pick-pocketed and lost fifty dollars.
nounMeaning: A favourable chance occurrence.
Sometimes it takes a bit of luck to get success.
I couldn't believe my luck when I found a fifty dollar bill on the street.
nounMeaning: A superstitious feeling that brings fortune or success.
He blew on the dice for luck.
I wish you lots of luck for the exam tomorrow.
nounMeaning: Success.
I tried for ages to find a pair of blue suede shoes, but didn't have any luck.
He has a lot of luck with the ladies. Perhaps it's because of his new motorbike.
nounMeaning: The results of a random number generator.
The creators of tool-assisted speedruns often manipulate luck to get the most favorable results in order to save the most time.
verbMeaning: To find something through good fortune; used with into, on, onto or upon.
I lucked upon a seat, settled in, nodded off and 20 minutes later heard my name being called by the admitting nurse.2004 December, The Crisis, volume 111, page 50:
But then I lucked on a backpackers' lodge lying half-hidden behind some trees right next to the road. It was a considerable relief to both my mind and my muscles.2010, Riaan Manser, Around Africa On My Bicycle:
nounMeaning: your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
the luck of the Irish
nounMeaning: an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
bad luck caused his downfall
nounMeaning: an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that leads to a favorable outcome
it was my good luck to be there
they say luck is a lady
Three steps to owning it
- Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
- Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
- Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?
6 The mastery game
Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.
Say it, then spell it
luck
/lʌk/
Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.
Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________
luck
/lʌk/ · noun, verb
Step 1 — Say it and write it
Say “luck” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.
Step 2 — Know every meaning
Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.
Step 3 — Which meaning is it?
“The raffle is just a matter of luck.”
Circle the meaning used.
“Sometimes it takes a bit of luck to get success.”
Circle the meaning used.
“He blew on the dice for luck.”
Circle the meaning used.
Step 4 — History and origin
Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):
Write three words built from “luck” and what each means:
Step 5 — Original meaning
Read the etymology on the page. What does it tell you about the word’s earlier meaning?
How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?
Step 6 — Use it yourself
☐ I can explain its meanings ☐ I know its history ☐ I know its original language ☐ I know its original meaning ☐ I can use it confidently
Answer key — luck
Which meaning, sentence 1: A. Something that happens to someone by chance, a chance occurrence.
Which meaning, sentence 2: B. A favourable chance occurrence.
Which meaning, sentence 3: C. A superstitious feeling that brings fortune or success.
Origin: C. Middle Dutch (Middle Dutch luc)
Journey: English luck ← Middle English luk ← Middle Dutch luc
Some derivatives: chuck-a-luck, hard-luck, ill-luck, luckbox, lucker, luckful, luckless, luckling
Etymology: From Middle English luk, lukke, from Middle Dutch luc, geluc, gelucke (“good luck, fortune”) or Middle Low German lücke, gelücke (“lot, fortune, fate, luck”), of obscure origin; perhaps ultimately related to German Lücke (“gap, opening”) in the sense of "space or opportunity", hence "chance". Cognate with West Frisian gelok (“luck”), Saterland Frisian Gluk (“luck”), Dutch luk, geluk (“luck, happiness”), Dutch Low Saxon luk (“luck”), German Low German and German Glück (“luck, good fortune, happiness”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål lykke (“luck, happiness”), Norwegian Nynorsk lukke (“luck, happiness”), Swedish lycka (“luck, happiness”), Icelandic lukka (“happiness”). According to the OED, it may be related to lock.
Sources: Wiktionary “luck” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/luck#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/luck