quirky

American

[kwur-kee] / ˈkwɜr ki /

adjective

quirkier, quirkiest

having or full of quirks.

Usage

What does quirky mean? Quirky describes something that has or is full of quirks, which are odd or unusual qualities.Usually, a person is described as quirky when they behave in a way or have qualities that are unique to them or that set them apart from others. Things are described as quirky when they have odd qualities. A quirky house, for example, might be painted fluorescent colors or have an odd shape.Examples:

Because Janet dyes her hair bright green and wears roller skates more than shoes, people think of her as quirky.
The painting’s irregular shapes and vivid colors give it a quirky feel.

Other Word Forms

quirkily adverb
quirkiness noun

Etymology

Origin of quirky

First recorded in 1800–10; quirk + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The consultant says he predicts 2026 will be the year of AI dominated content on social media, adding: "If you thought that AI animal content was quirky, I think buckle up".

From BBC

Opening night marked a benefit for quirky noise rockers Lutefisk, who lived in the area and, like many there, rehearsed at Hully Gully on Fletcher Drive.

From Los Angeles Times

Rather than worry about whether they looked perfect, people leaned into quirky and creative ways to express themselves.

From Los Angeles Times

Coming from Chechnya, a conservative Muslim republic in Russia, she cut her hair short, stopped covering her head, shaved off part of her eyebrow and posted quirky selfies on Instagram.

From BBC

The spacecraft, the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer or JUICE, will focus on studying several of the gas giant’s moons: oceanic Europa, massive Ganymede and quirky Callisto.

From New York Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023