idiomatic

[ id-ee-uh-mat-ik ]

adjective

1. peculiar to or characteristic of a particular language or dialect:

   idiomatic French.

2. containing or using many idioms.
3. having a distinct style or character, especially in the arts:

   idiomatic writing; an idiomatic composer.

Other Words From

• idi·o·mati·cal·ly adverb
• idi·o·mati·cal·ness id·i·o·ma·tic·i·ty [id-ee-oh-m, uh, -, tis, -i-tee], noun
• nonid·i·o·matic adjective
• nonid·i·o·mati·cal adjective
• nonid·i·o·mati·cal·ly adverb
• nonid·i·o·mati·cal·ness noun
• unid·i·o·matic adjective
• unid·i·o·mati·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of idiomatic¹

1705–15; < Late Greek idiōmatikós, equivalent to idiōmat- (stem of idíōma ) idiom + -ikos -ic

Example Sentences

Full-time residents, who call themselves Yoopers, use the same name to refer to their idiomatic English.

From The Daily Beast

In the meantime, she continues to speak with idiomatic brusqueness.

From The Daily Beast

“There was no absolute word in the Russian idiomatic language,” he said.

From The Daily Beast

Moreover, by the time he reaches college it is too late to teach him even common, idiomatic expressiveness.

From Project Gutenberg

All the truly idiomatic and national phrases are kept, and all others successively picked out and thrown away.

From Project Gutenberg

Numberless compound idiomatic phrases have also been given a place, in each case under the head of the significant word.

From Project Gutenberg

Thats idiomatic French, and means a good deal that you dont understand; I always use it to gals, especially when theyre pretty.

From Project Gutenberg

It was filled with jokes, beneath which were German notes explaining any difficult or idiomatic words and phrases.

From Project Gutenberg