risk - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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] (rōčig), from Middle Persian [script needed] (rōč, “day”), from Old Persian [script needed] (*raučah-), from Proto-Indo-European *lewk-. Karla Mallette derives the word from Arabic رِزْق (rizq, “sustenance, that which God allots”) via Sabir.[1]

Cognate with Spanish riesgo, Portuguese risco

risk (countable and uncountable, plural risks)

  1. (uncountable) The probability of a negative outcome to a decision or event.
    There is risk of being brutalized, arrested, imprisoned and tortured, all because I want you to know the truth about this matter.
    • 1994, S. I. Bhuiyan, On-farm Reservoir Systems for Rainfed Ricelands‎[2], page 36:
      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.
    • 2006, Trever Ramsey on BBC News website, Exercise 'cuts skin cancer risk' read at [3] on 14 May 2006
    • 2013 June 22, “Snakes and ladders”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8841, page 76:
      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.
    • 2012 January, Stephen Ledoux, “Behaviorism at 100”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, page 60:
      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.
  2. (uncountable) The magnitude of possible loss consequent to a decision or event.
    • 2004 April 23, “American Families at Risk”, in The American Prospect‎[4]:
      Will they find the prospect of greater risk a cause for concern, rather than a gift from the right?
    • 2012 December 12, “Hekia Parata will not appeal Salisbury decision”, in Manawatu Standard:
      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
    • 2006, R. Packer, The Politics of BSE‎[5], page 196:
      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.
  3. (uncountable, economics, business and engineering) The potential negative effect of an event, determined by multiplying the likelihood of the event occurring with its magnitude should it occur.
    • 2002, Decisioneering Inc website, What is risk? read at [6] on 14 May 2006
      If there is a 25% chance of running over schedule, costing you a 100outofyourownpocket,thatmightbea∗∗risk∗∗youarewillingtotake.Butifyouhavea5100 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 100outofyourownpocket,thatmightbea∗∗risk∗∗youarewillingtotake.Butifyouhavea510,000 penalty, you might be less willing to take that risk.
  4. (countable) A possible adverse event or outcome.
    Synonyms: danger, peril, hazard
    1. (insurance) A type of adverse event covered under an insurance policy.
  5. (countable) A thing (from the perspective of how likely or unlikely it is to cause an adverse effect).
    That man is going to be a big risk once he's out of prison.
    Those stairs are a major risk.
    • 2006, BBC News website, Farmers warned over skin cancer read at [7] on 14 May 2006
      There was also a "degree of complacency" that the weather in the country was not good enough to present a health risk.
    1. (banking, finance) A borrower (such as a mortgage-holder or person with a credit card).
      A good credit rating indicates the customer is a desirable risk.
    2. (finance) A financial product (typically an investment).
      Subprime mortgages are poor risks; especially for a pension scheme.
    3. (insurance) An entity insured by an insurer.

When referring to some possible cause of an adverse effect as "a risk", the default position is that one is referring to how likely it is to cause an adverse effect. Such use is qualified with adjectives that refer to magnitude, such as "major", "large" or "tiny". However, adjectives that refer to quality (such as "good" or "undesirable") indicate that one is referring to how unlikely the adverse effect is, and this usage is invariably restricted to monetary contexts. On the other hand, the former sense may be used in any context (including monetary risks). In academic finance, risk is associated with the variance of the expected outcome, and not with the probability of outcomes (see Black-Scholes)

possible, usually negative, outcome — see also danger

likelihood of a negative outcome — see also danger

business etc.: potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event

risk (third-person singular simple present risks, present participle risking, simple past and past participle risked)

  1. (transitive) To incur risk of (an unwanted or negative outcome).
    Synonym: court
    • 2006, Transportation Alternatives website, Rail delays as thieves cut power read at [8] on 14 May 2006
      These people are putting themselves in danger by physically being on or near to the railway lines and risking serious injury.
  2. (transitive) To incur risk of harming or jeopardizing.
    • 2006, BBC Sport website, Beckham wary over Rooney comeback read at [9] on 14 May 2006
      England captain David Beckham has warned Wayne Rooney not to risk his long-term future by rushing his return from injury.
  3. (transitive) To incur risk as a result of (doing something).
    • 1979 February 10, Lynn Tibbets, “Women's Music From All Over”, in Gay Community News, volume 6, number 28, page 19:
      Because of the wide range of styles on this album, it's hard to pin down the genre. I will risk suggesting folk-rock in an effort to be helpful.
    • 1999, BBC News website, Volunteer of the Month: Andrew Hay McConnell read at [10] on 14 May 2006
      After coming to New York, I decided to risk cycling again.

to incur risk to something

to incur risk of something

to incur risk by something

  1. ^ “Mediterranean lingua franca, ca. 1450-1650: Threshold or holdover?”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)‎[1], 4 September 2025 (last accessed)

risk m inan

  1. (informal) risk

Borrowed from French risque.

risk c

  1. risk

From French risque. Doublet of riziko.

risk (definite accusative riski, plural riskler)

  1. risk (all senses)