quirky

American  

[kwur-kee] / ˈkwɜr ki /

adjective

quirkier, quirkiest

1. having or full of quirks.

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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

Rose, a first-time author and mother of two, first met Morvan when she interviewed him for the quirky paper — now in its fourth revival.

From Los Angeles Times

Highgrove, a quirky and characterful house in Gloucestershire, that seems allergic to straight lines, has become a living laboratory for his organic gardening and farming techniques.

From BBC

She knows all kinds of quirky facts about them.

From Literature

Those quirky boarding positions will be replaced by boarding groups.

From The Wall Street Journal

But he had his own quirky, even obsessive interests—in all things ancient and Roman, in architecture, and especially in the hybrid ornamental figures known as grotesques.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bizarre
• idiosyncratic
• odd
• off-the-wall
• peculiar
• strange
• unconventional
• unusual
• wacky
• weird