idiomatic
Americanadjective
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peculiar to or characteristic of a particular language or dialect.
idiomatic French.
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containing or using many idioms.
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having a distinct style or character, especially in the arts.
idiomatic writing; an idiomatic composer.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of idiomatic
1705–15; < Late Greek idiōmatikós, equivalent to idiōmat- (stem of idíōma ) idiom + -ikos -ic
Explanation
Anything idiomatic relates to expressions that cannot be understood according to their literal meaning, like "it's raining cats and dogs" or "bite the bullet." An idiom is a turn of phrase, like saying a restaurant has gone to the dogs, which has nothing to do with dogs but means the restaurant has seen better days. You could say an idiom is an idiomatic expression. You could also say an idea — like how politics is like a horserace — is idiomatic. When you're learning a foreign language, idiomatic speech — which is natural to native speakers — is one of the hardest things to master.
Vocabulary lists containing idiomatic
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.
Headlined by conductor Marco Armiliato, soprano Lisette Oropesa as the heroine Elvira and tenor Lawrence Brownlee as her beloved Arturo, this was a musically idiomatic and expressive traversal.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026
The German novelist most recently authored “Tyll,” shortlisted for the 2020 International Booker Prize, and his translator, Ross Benjamin, has rendered his new historical fiction in idiomatic English prose.
From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2025
Fairy tales, idiomatic expressions, warrior tales all amplified human fear, and led to the systematic extermination of wolves across Britain and Europe.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 28, 2023
The new volume, in a sensitive and briskly idiomatic translation by Ross Benjamin, offers revelation upon revelation.
From New York Times • Jan. 11, 2023
She sank into the desk chair, thinking cheng yu — idiomatic sayings, the Chinese had a lot of them too.
From "Typical American" by Gish Jen
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.
