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View synonyms for idiosyncrasy

idiosyncrasy

[ id-ee-uh-sing-kruh-see, -sin- ]

noun

, plural id·i·o·syn·cra·sies.
  1. a characteristic, habit, mannerism, or the like, that is peculiar to an individual.

    Synonyms: quirk, peculiarity

  2. the physical constitution peculiar to an individual.
  3. a peculiarity of the physical or the mental constitution, especially susceptibility toward drugs, food, etc. Compare allergy ( def 1 ).


idiosyncrasy

/ ˌɪdɪəʊˈsɪŋkrəsɪ /

noun

  1. a tendency, type of behaviour, mannerism, etc, of a specific person; quirk
  2. the composite physical or psychological make-up of a specific person
  3. an abnormal reaction of an individual to specific foods, drugs, or other agents
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Other Words From

  • id·i·o·syn·crat·ic [id-ee-oh-sin-, krat, -ik, -sing-], adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of idiosyncrasy1

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Greek idiosynkrāsía, equivalent to idio- idio- + syn- syn- + krâs(is) “a blending” + -ia -y 3
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Word History and Origins

Origin of idiosyncrasy1

C17: from Greek idiosunkrasia, from idio- + sunkrasis mixture, temperament, from sun- syn- + kerannunai to mingle
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Synonym Study

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Example Sentences

In hay fever certain patients present a peculiar idiosyncrasy, often inherited, almost always neuroarthritic.

What reveals perhaps more distinctly than anything else Chopin's idiosyncrasy is his friendship for Titus Woyciechowski.

He had a constitutional dislike for falsehoods, which was perhaps not so much a virtue as an idiosyncrasy.

They chatted volubly over this idiosyncrasy, and even laughed at it, but quite decorously so that our feelings might be spared.

This very singular idiosyncrasy he attributed to a fright when he was an infant in the arms of his nurse.

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idioplasmidiosyncratic