risk en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ɹɪsk/
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Italic *wre- Latin re- Proto-Indo-European *sek- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *sékh₁yeti Proto-Italic *sekaō Latin seco Latin resecōdeverb. Vulgar Latin *resecum Old Italian riscobor. ▲ Old Italian risco Italian rischio Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Italian -are Italian rischiarebor. Middle French risquebor. English risque English risk From earlier risque, from Middle French risque, from Old Italian risco (“risk”) (modern Italian rischio) and rischiare (“to run into danger”). Displaced native Old English pleoh (“risk”) and plēon (“to risk”). Speculation on earlier roots Most dictionaries consider the etymology of these Italian terms uncertain, but some suggest they perhaps come from Vulgar Latin *resecum (“that which cuts, rock, crag”) (> Medieval Latin resicu), from Latin resecō (“cut off, loose, curtail”, verb), in the sense of that which is a danger to boating or shipping; or from Ancient Greek ῥιζικόν (rhizikón, “root, radical, hazard”). A few dictionaries express more certainty. Collins says the Italian risco comes from Ancient Greek ῥίζα (rhíza, “cliff”) due to the hazards of sailing along rocky coasts. The American Heritage says it probably comes from Byzantine Greek ῥιζικό, ριζικό (rhizikó, rizikó, “sustenance obtained by a soldier through his own initiative, fortune”), from Arabic رِزْق (rizq, “sustenance, that which God allots”), from Classical Syriac ܪܘܙܝܩܐ ,ܪܙܩܐ (rezqā, rōzīqā, “daily ration”), from Middle Persian [script needed] (rōzīg) (whence Classical Persian روزِی (rōzī)), from Middle Persian [script needed] (rōz, “day”) (whence Classical Persian روز (rōz)), from Old Persian 𐎼𐎢𐎨𐏃 (raučah) (cognate with Sanskrit रोचस् (rocas, “light, lustre”)), from Proto-Iranian *ráwčah, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *ráwčas, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *léwk-os, from *lewk- (“bright; to shine”) + *-os (noun suffix). Karla Mallette derives the word from Arabic رِزْق (rizq, “sustenance, that which God allots”) via Sabir. Cognate with Spanish riesgo, Portuguese risco
Meanings
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(uncountable) The probability of a negative outcome to a decision or event.
Risk is everywhere. From tabloid headlines insisting that coffee causes cancer (yesterday, of course, it cured it) to stern government warnings about alcohol and driving, the world is teeming with goblins. For each one there is a frighteningly precise measurement of just how likely it is to jump from the shadows and get you. Taking regular exercise, coupled with a healthy diet, reduced the risk of several types of cancer.
2013 June 22, “Snakes and ladders”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8841, page 76:There is risk of being brutalized, arrested, imprisoned and tortured, all because I want you to know the truth about this matter.
What crop(s) to plant, how much area to devote to each crop, and how much risk to take with respect to rainfall during the season are some of the decisions that must be made.
1994, S. I. Bhuiyan, On-farm Reservoir Systems for Rainfed Ricelands, page 36:2006, Trever Ramsey on BBC News website, Exercise 'cuts skin cancer risk' read at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4764535.stm on 14 May 2006
Becoming more aware of the progress that scientists have made on behavioral fronts can reduce the risk that other natural scientists will resort to mystical agential accounts when they exceed the limits of their own disciplinary training.
2012 January 14, Stephen Ledoux, “Behaviorism at 100”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, page 60:
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(uncountable) The magnitude of possible loss consequent to a decision or event.
SEAC acknowledged that their recommendation was a somewhat uneasy compromise between the desire to protect the public from a small chance of a big risk and the desire not to ruin an industry, probably unnecessarily.
2006, R. Packer, The Politics of BSE, page 196:Will they find the prospect of greater risk a cause for concern, rather than a gift from the right?
2004 April 23, “American Families at Risk”, in The American Prospect:The decision was also unlawful in disregarding the prospect of greater risk of sexual or physical abuse to girls at a co-educational residential school
2012 December 12, “Hekia Parata will not appeal Salisbury decision”, in Manawatu Standard:
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(uncountable) The potential negative effect of an event, determined by multiplying the likelihood of the event occurring with its magnitude should it occur.
If there is a 25% chance of running over schedule, costing you a $100 out of your own pocket, that might be a risk you are willing to take. But if you have a 5% chance of running overschedule, knowing that there is a $10,000 penalty, you might be less willing to take that risk.
2002, Decisioneering Inc website, What is risk? read at http://www.decisioneering.com/risk-analysis.html on 14 May 2006
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(countable) A possible adverse event or outcome.
the imminent and constant risk of assassination, a risk which has shaken very strong nerves
1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter VII, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
- (countable, uncountable) A possible adverse event or outcome. ▸ A type of adverse event covered under an insurance policy.
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(countable) A thing (from the perspective of how likely or unlikely it is to cause an adverse effect).
Those stairs are a major risk.
That man is going to be a big risk once he's out of prison.
There was also a "degree of complacency" that the weather in the country was not good enough to present a health risk.
2006, BBC News website, Farmers warned over skin cancer read at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4764525.stm on 14 May 2006
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(countable, uncountable) A thing (from the perspective of how likely or unlikely it is to cause an adverse effect). ▸ A borrower (such as a mortgage-holder or person with a credit card).
A good credit rating indicates the customer is a desirable risk.
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(countable, uncountable) A thing (from the perspective of how likely or unlikely it is to cause an adverse effect). ▸ A financial product (typically an investment).
Subprime mortgages are poor risks; especially for a pension scheme.
- (countable, uncountable) A thing (from the perspective of how likely or unlikely it is to cause an adverse effect). ▸ An entity insured by an insurer.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| risque | alternative, archaic | lexicographic | |
| risks | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
assigned risk · flight risk · risk creep · x-risk · currency risk · prerisk · funding liquidity risk · risk-on · extreme risk protection order · non-diversifiable risk · risk appetite · risk aversion · riskware · suffering risk · risk capital · risk-free · risk production · risk universe · riskless · high-risk · specific risk · risksome · risk assessment · risk-off · at one's risk · extreme risk law · calculated risk · credit risk · derisk · sequence-of-returns risk · diversifiable risk · risk equalisation · risk-averse · s-risk · riskproof · tail risk · nonrisk · riskfree · X-risk · risktaker · risk analysis · run the risk · seismic risk · at any risk · risk profile · risk factor · country risk · riskful · FX risk · take a risk · at risk · financial risk · nondiversifiable risk · at the risk of · market risk · key person risk · multirisk · unsystematic risk · existential risk · low-risk · assumption of risk · external risk · at one's own risk · cyberrisk · businessman's risk · risk-assess · georisk · foreign exchange risk · risk premium · on risk · key man risk · risk management · risk-taking · exchange rate risk · operational risk · risk-aversity · systematic risk · ikigai risk · inflation risk · subrisk · The Risk · health risk · risk-assessed · run a risk · risk visualization · political risk · residual risk · i-risk · riskish · undiversifiable risk · risk society
Hyponyms
standard deviation · downside beta · variance
Synonyms
hazard · danger · danger · peril · hazard · peril
Translations (194)
sv risk (possible, usually negative, outcome) · la perīculum (possible, usually negative, outcome) · fr risque (likelihood of a negative outcome) · sh rìzik (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · da risiko (likelihood of a negative outcome) · hi ख़तरा (possible, usually negative, outcome) · hi जोखिम (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ru риск (likelihood of a negative outcome) · sv risk (likelihood of a negative outcome) · sh rìzik (likelihood of a negative outcome) · sh рѝзик (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ja リスク (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · th ความเสี่ยง (likelihood of a negative outcome) · pl ryzyko (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · he סיכון \ סִכּוּן (possible, usually negative, outcome) · de Risiko (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ur خَطْرَہ (possible, usually negative, outcome) · tg мухотира (possible, usually negative, outcome) · mr धोका (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ka რისკი (possible, usually negative, outcome) · az təvəkkül (possible, usually negative, outcome) · es riesgo (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ang pleoh (possible, usually negative, outcome) · el πιθανότητα (likelihood of a negative outcome) · mr जोखीम (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ru опа́сность (possible, usually negative, outcome) · th การเสี่ยง (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ar مُخَاطَرة (possible, usually negative, outcome) · hy ռիսկ (likelihood of a negative outcome) · pl ryzyko (likelihood of a negative outcome) · gl risco (possible, usually negative, outcome) · nn risiko (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · tr risk (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ca risc (likelihood of a negative outcome) · ko 위험 (likelihood of a negative outcome) · af risiko (likelihood of a negative outcome) · mn ᠡᠷᠦᠰᠳᠡᠯ (possible, usually negative, outcome) · nn risk (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ja リスク (possible, usually negative, outcome) · kmr metirsî (likelihood of a negative outcome) · tg риск (possible, usually negative, outcome) · nl risico (possible, usually negative, outcome) · pt risco (possible, usually negative, outcome) · kmr talûke (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ro risc (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ca risc (possible, usually negative, outcome) · io risko (likelihood of a negative outcome) · sl tveganje (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · el ρίσκο (possible, usually negative, outcome) · sh рѝзик (likelihood of a negative outcome) · sh opasnost (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · ja リスク (likelihood of a negative outcome) · eo risko (possible, usually negative, outcome) · cs riziko (possible, usually negative, outcome) · cs riziko (likelihood of a negative outcome) · ky тобокел (possible, usually negative, outcome) · be ры́зыка (possible, usually negative, outcome) · el κίνδυνος (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · sh опа́сно̄ст (likelihood of a negative outcome) · el κίνδυνος (possible, usually negative, outcome) · nb risiko (possible, usually negative, outcome) · fa-ira خَطَر (possible, usually negative, outcome) · kmr rîsk (possible, usually negative, outcome) · th ความเสี่ยง (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · pl ryzyko (possible, usually negative, outcome) · mk ризик (possible, usually negative, outcome) · vi nguy cơ (possible, usually negative, outcome) · pl zagrożenie (possible, usually negative, outcome) · fa-ira ریسْک (possible, usually negative, outcome) · yue 風險 /风险 (possible, usually negative, outcome) · de Risiko (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · ru опа́сность (likelihood of a negative outcome) · es riesgo (likelihood of a negative outcome) · is áhætta (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ar خَطَر (possible, usually negative, outcome) · gd cunnart (possible, usually negative, outcome) · lt rizika (possible, usually negative, outcome) · fur riscjo (possible, usually negative, outcome) · uk ри́зик (possible, usually negative, outcome) · it rischio (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ug خەۋپ (possible, usually negative, outcome) · pt risco (likelihood of a negative outcome) · af risiko (possible, usually negative, outcome) · aeb رِيسْكْ (possible, usually negative, outcome) · sq rrezik (possible, usually negative, outcome) · tk risk (possible, usually negative, outcome) · af risiko (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · kmr metirsî (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ur مُخاطَرَہ (possible, usually negative, outcome) · nl risico (likelihood of a negative outcome) · bn ঝুঁকি (possible, usually negative, outcome) · uz xavf (possible, usually negative, outcome) · sk riziko (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · ht risk (possible, usually negative, outcome) · nl risico (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · ps خطر (possible, usually negative, outcome) · pdt Jefoa (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ar مُجَازَفَة (possible, usually negative, outcome) · enm aventure (likelihood of a negative outcome) · ko 위험 (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ro risc (likelihood of a negative outcome) · mi tūraru (possible, usually negative, outcome) · gd cunnart (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · ca risc (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · da risiko (possible, usually negative, outcome) · nn risiko (possible, usually negative, outcome) · my အန္တရာယ် (possible, usually negative, outcome) · pt risco (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · sk riziko (possible, usually negative, outcome) · sv risk (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · he סַכָּנָה (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ms risiko (possible, usually negative, outcome) · sh opásnōst (likelihood of a negative outcome) · ro risc (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · el κίνδυνος (likelihood of a negative outcome) · fi riski (possible, usually negative, outcome) · az risk (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ast riesgu (possible, usually negative, outcome) · fr risque (possible, usually negative, outcome) · wa risse (possible, usually negative, outcome) · tr risk (likelihood of a negative outcome) · km គ្រោះថ្នាក់ (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · ja 危険 (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ur جوکِھم (possible, usually negative, outcome) · tg мухотара (possible, usually negative, outcome) · fi riski (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · ky риск (possible, usually negative, outcome) · es risco (possible, usually negative, outcome) · hu kockázat (possible, usually negative, outcome) · nb risiko (likelihood of a negative outcome) · nn risk (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · km ហានិយភ័យ (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · de Risiko (likelihood of a negative outcome) · ug خەتەر (possible, usually negative, outcome) · mn эрсдэл (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ang pleoh (likelihood of a negative outcome) · ko 리스크 (possible, usually negative, outcome) · nb risiko (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · uz xatar (possible, usually negative, outcome) · hy ռիսկ (possible, usually negative, outcome) · de Bedrohung (possible, usually negative, outcome) · my စွန့်စားခြင်း (possible, usually negative, outcome) · nb risk (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · tg хавф (possible, usually negative, outcome) · vec ris-cio (possible, usually negative, outcome) · oc risc (possible, usually negative, outcome) · uz tavakkal (possible, usually negative, outcome) · tr riziko (likelihood of a negative outcome) · bg риск (likelihood of a negative outcome) · lo ຄວາມສ່ຽງ (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ja 危険 (likelihood of a negative outcome) · ky тобокелдик (possible, usually negative, outcome) · hu kockázat (likelihood of a negative outcome) · wa risse (likelihood of a negative outcome) · km ចៃដន់ (possible, usually negative, outcome) · fa-ira ریسْک (likelihood of a negative outcome) · vi rủi ro (possible, usually negative, outcome) · uz risk (possible, usually negative, outcome) · bg риск (possible, usually negative, outcome) · sk riziko (likelihood of a negative outcome) · nn risk (likelihood of a negative outcome) · hu rizikó (possible, usually negative, outcome) · kk тәуекел (possible, usually negative, outcome) · th ภัย (possible, usually negative, outcome) · aeb تَقْمِيرَة (possible, usually negative, outcome) · fa-ira مُخاطَرِه (possible, usually negative, outcome) · ko 리스크 (likelihood of a negative outcome) · et riisiko (possible, usually negative, outcome) · kmr xeter (possible, usually negative, outcome) · th ความเสี่ยง (possible, usually negative, outcome) · tg хатар (possible, usually negative, outcome) · hy ռիսկ (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · cmn 風險 /风险 (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · fr risque (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · da risiko (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · is hætta (possible, usually negative, outcome) · nb risk (possible, usually negative, outcome) · sh rìzik (possible, usually negative, outcome) · cmn 風險 /风险 (possible, usually negative, outcome) · sl tveganje (likelihood of a negative outcome) · ru риск (possible, usually negative, outcome) · sl tveganje (possible, usually negative, outcome) · mi tūraru (business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event) · fi riski (likelihood of a negative outcome) · vo riskod (possible, usually negative, outcome) · mi tūraru (likelihood of a negative outcome) · id risiko (possible, usually negative, outcome) · vec rixego (possible, usually negative, outcome) · io risko (possible, usually negative, outcome) · nn risiko (likelihood of a negative outcome) · es risco (likelihood of a negative outcome) · lv risks (possible, usually negative, outcome) · nb risk (likelihood of a negative outcome) · tk töwekgelçilik (possible, usually negative, outcome)