idiosyncrasy

American  

[id-ee-uh-sing-kruh-see, -sin-] / ˌɪd i əˈsɪŋ krə si, -ˈsɪn- /

noun

plural

idiosyncrasies

1. a characteristic, habit, mannerism, or the like, that is peculiar to an individual.

   Synonyms:

   quirk, peculiarity

2. the physical constitution peculiar to an individual.

3. a peculiarity of the physical or the mental constitution, especially susceptibility toward drugs, food, etc.

---

idiosyncrasy British  

/ ˌɪdɪəʊˈsɪŋkrəsɪ /

noun

1. a tendency, type of behaviour, mannerism, etc, of a specific person; quirk

2. the composite physical or psychological make-up of a specific person

3. an abnormal reaction of an individual to specific foods, drugs, or other agents

---

Related Words

See eccentricity.

Other Word Forms

• idiosyncratic adjective

Etymology

Origin of idiosyncrasy

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Greek idiosynkrāsía, equivalent to idio- idio- + syn- syn- + krâs(is) “a blending” + -ia -y ³

Example Sentences

“We think that is dangerous thinking, because it treats all geopolitical events as a homogenous group. But each geopolitical event has its own idiosyncrasies,” Rizzuto said.

From MarketWatch

“One Battle After Another” blends both together to become the perfect showcase for Anderson’s knack for capturing human idiosyncrasies and spinning them into grand-scale storytelling.

From Los Angeles Times

And the comparison to Bowie’s West German sojourn is apt: working with his producers, Styles has clearly immersed himself in the avant-garde, taking chances, and embracing idiosyncrasy.

From Salon

Indeed, the very features that make gifts inefficient as market transactions—surprise, idiosyncrasy, miscalibration—are often what make them meaningful as social gestures.

From The Wall Street Journal

“And he included Oona’s idiosyncrasies in the final animation. He was very respectful of the performance.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• eccentricity
• mannerism
• peculiarity
• trait