Hazard has a surprising history. It comes from az zar, the name of an old Arabic dice game. As the word moved through other languages into English, its meaning widened.
At first, hazard was connected to games of chance. From there, it developed the sense of chance itself, especially uncertain or risky chance. Over time, English speakers used it more broadly for danger or risk.
- Old sense: a game of chance involving dice
- Later sense: chance or luck in an uncertain situation
- Modern common sense: something that can cause harm
That history helps explain modern uses such as fire hazard, which means a danger related to fire, and hazardous material, which means material that may cause harm. So the word moved from a gambling context to a general word for risk and danger.
