eccentricity

[ek-suhn-tris-i-tee, ek-sen-]

noun

plural

eccentricities 

1. an oddity or peculiarity, as of conduct.

   an interesting man, known for his eccentricities.

2. the quality of being eccentric.

   Synonyms: aberration, freakishness, oddness, strangeness, queerness

3. the amount by which something is eccentric.

4. Machinery.,  the distance between the centers of two cylindrical objects one of which surrounds the other, as between an eccentric and the shaft on which it is mounted.

5. Mathematics.,  a constant expressed as the ratio of the distance from a point on a conic to a focus and the distance from the point to the directrix.

eccentricity

/ ˌɛksɛnˈtrɪsɪtɪ /

noun

1. unconventional or irregular behaviour

2. deviation from a circular path or orbit

3. a measure of the noncircularity of an elliptical orbit, the distance between the foci divided by the length of the major axis

4. geometry a number that expresses the shape of a conic section: the ratio of the distance of a point on the curve from a fixed point (the focus) to the distance of the point from a fixed line (the directrix)

5. the degree of displacement of the geometric centre of a rotating part from the true centre, esp of the axis of rotation of a wheel or shaft

eccentricity

1. A measure of the deviation of an elliptical path, especially an orbit, from a perfect circle. It is equal to the ratio of the distance between the foci of the ellipse to the length of the major axis of the ellipse (the distance between the two points farthest apart on the ellipse). Eccentricity ranges from zero (for a perfect circle) to values approaching 1 (highly elongated ellipses).

2. The ratio of the distance of any point on a conic section from a focus to its distance from the corresponding directrix. This ratio is constant for any particular conic section.

Word History and Origins

Origin of eccentricity¹

First recorded in 1545–55; from Medieval Latin eccentricitās, equivalent to eccentric- ( eccentric ) + -itās -ity

Synonym Study

Eccentricity, peculiarity, quirk, idiosyncrasy all refer to some noticeable deviation in behavior, style, or manner from what is normal or expected. Eccentricity usually suggests a mildly amusing but harmless characteristic or style: a whimsical eccentricity in choice of clothing. Peculiarity is the most general of these words, referring to almost any perceptible oddity or departure from any norm: the peculiarity of his eyelashes, of the weather. Quirk often refers to a minor, unimportant kind of oddity: Her one quirk was a habit of speaking to strangers in elevators. Sometimes quirk has overtones of strangeness: sexual quirks. Idiosyncrasy refers to a variation in behavior or manner exclusive to or characteristic of a single individual: idiosyncrasies of style that irritated editors but often delighted readers.

Example Sentences

Bird's home county Yorkshire, whom he played for and served as president, described him as a "national treasure, known not only for his umpiring excellence but also for his eccentricities and warmth".

From BBC

He contrasts L.A.’s “ability to reward eccentricity” to the nouveau rigidity in Orange County, whose style lacks “a sense of humor on a civic scale.”

From Los Angeles Times

In it, the audience gets a closer look at the eccentricities that frame his imaginative inner world.

From Los Angeles Times

But the eccentricities of this defendant belie the seriousness of the case.

From BBC

"It was just the eccentricity of one particular goalkeeper in one particular moment which had a commentator rubbing his eyes in disbelief," adds Tyler.

From BBC

Related Words

• foible 
• idiosyncrasy 
• peculiarity 
• quirk 
• weirdness www.thesaurus.com