risk
Meanings
- The probability of a negative outcome to a decision or event.
- The magnitude of possible loss consequent to a decision or event.
- The potential negative effect of an event, determined by multiplying the likelihood of the event occurring with its magnitude should it occur.
- A possible adverse event or outcome.
- A type of adverse event covered under an insurance policy.
- 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 financial product (typically an investment).
- An entity insured by an insurer.
- To incur risk of (an unwanted or negative outcome).
- To incur risk of harming or jeopardizing.
- To incur risk as a result of (doing something).
- A surname.
Pronunciation
Word forms
Etymology
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. Cognate with Spanish riesgo, Portuguese risco