Meaning

noun a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune

noun a venture undertaken without regard to possible loss or injury

noun the probability of becoming infected given that exposure to an infectious agent has occurred

originFrom 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,…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0