offbeat

[awf-beet, of-, awf-beet, of-]

adjective

1. differing from the usual or expected; unconventional.

   an offbeat comedian.

noun

1. Music.,  an unaccented beat of a measure.

offbeat

/ ˈɒfˌbiːt /

noun

1. music any of the normally unaccented beats in a bar, such as the second and fourth beats in a bar of four-four time. They are stressed in most rock and some jazz and dance music, such as the bossa nova

adjective

1. 1. unusual, unconventional, or eccentric

   2. ( as noun )

      he liked the offbeat in fashion

Word History and Origins

Origin of offbeat¹

First recorded in 1925–30; off + beat

Example Sentences

Bronstein populates the movie with an offbeat set of supporting characters and her casting elevates every one of them.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Ultimately, Redford preferred characters that were a little offbeat - in keeping with his passion for independent cinema.

Read more on BBC

Metal Gear tackled themes not commonly seen in games, such as nuclear disarmament and child soldiers, and posed philosophical questions while also leveraging offbeat humour.

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Letterman’s offbeat, sardonic brand of humor also gave a layer of hipness to CBS, which had long had a reputation for stodginess.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

My ideal vacation is renting a villa in the Mediterranean during shoulder season when it’s cool and breezy, eating elaborate meals and driving to offbeat museums and hidden beaches.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• bizarre 
• eccentric 
• idiosyncratic 
• unconventional 
• unorthodox 
• unusual 
• weird