eccentric
Americanadjective
-
deviating from the recognized or customary character, practice, etc.; irregular; erratic; peculiar; odd.
eccentric conduct;
an eccentric person.
- Antonyms:
- conventional, customary, ordinary, regular, normal
-
Geometry. not having the same center; not concentric: used especially of two circles or spheres at least one of which contains the centers of both.
-
(of an axis, axle, etc.) not situated in the center.
-
Machinery. having the axis or support away from the center.
an eccentric wheel.
-
Astronomy. deviating from a circular form, as an elliptic orbit.
noun
-
a person who has an unusual, peculiar, or odd personality, set of beliefs, or behavior pattern.
-
something that is unusual, peculiar, or odd.
-
Machinery. a device for converting circular motion into rectilinear motion, consisting of a disk fixed somewhat off-center to a revolving shaft, and working freely in a surrounding collar eccentricstrap, to which a rod eccentricrod is attached.
adjective
-
deviating or departing from convention, esp in a bizarre manner; irregular or odd
-
situated away from the centre or the axis
-
not having a common centre Compare concentric
eccentric circles
-
not precisely circular
noun
-
a person who deviates from normal forms of behaviour, esp in a bizarre manner
-
a device for converting rotary motion to reciprocating motion
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
eccentricaladjective
-
noneccentricadjective
-
uneccentricadjective
-
eccentricallyadverb
-
noneccentricallyadverb
-
uneccentricallyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of eccentric
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Medieval Latin eccentricus, from Greek ékkentr(os) “out of center” ( see ec-, center) + Latin -icus -ic
Explanation
You're most likely to encounter the adjective eccentric in a description of an unusual or quirky person — like a scatterbrained aunt who leaves her life savings to her cat. From the Greek ekkentros, "out of the center," this word originally had to do with the orbits of planets that were observed to be slightly out of whack. Eventually it came to describe people who were a little kooky, both as an adjective and as a noun, too: an eccentric is an unconventional, odd person. Think of them as following a slightly different orbit from the rest of society.
Vocabulary lists containing eccentric
List 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Westing Game
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Born a Crime
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Wonka's The Golden Ticket will feature an AI-generated version of Wilder, who played the eccentric chocolatier in the 1971 film.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
Memorable cinematic roles have included a corrupt police officer in the Harrison Ford thriller "Witness" and a comedy turn in Wes Anderson's eccentric "The Royal Tenenbaums," opposite Gene Hackman.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
Across a burgeoning hustle economy, people are mapping out new and often eccentric ways to make a buck, from passive income schemes to gig work.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 27, 2026
Whether it was Ryan channeling designer inspo or fashion-snatching looks from the streets, the display — like the book that inspired it — was colorful and daring, inspired and eccentric and wholly unique.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
Only Nighthand sounded untroubled: “That seems an eccentric place for a rest stop.”
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
He takes his time absorbing every seemingly inconsequential detail as he becomes attached to the personalities of eccentrics on their self-assigned quests to accomplish unlikely goals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 26, 2026
Both Kennedy and Trump are famous eccentrics who possess a charismatic weirdness that somehow captures people’s imaginations — and inspires them to become devoted followers.
From Salon ● Feb. 19, 2026
Even among the ego-driven billionaire eccentrics of Silicon Valley, Ellison stood out.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 6, 2025
It is full of eccentrics, impish humour, and the absurdities of small-town and big-city life.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2025
The problem for Kepler was that circles, eccentrics and epicycles were geometrical constructions; there was no evidence that any such gearing existed in the heavens.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
