idiosyncrasy

[id-ee-uh-sing-kruh-see, -sin-]

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

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• idiosyncratic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of idiosyncrasy¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of idiosyncrasy¹

C17: from Greek idiosunkrasia, from _idio- + sunkrasis mixture, temperament, from sun- _syn- + kerannunai to mingle

Synonym Study

See eccentricity.

Example Sentences

“But we mixed that with a more Latin American idiosyncrasy, so it’s familiar but very different.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Inside the White House, Pulte’s idiosyncrasies have earned him some detractors.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“Our results here show that, for the same client vignette, AI advisers recommend safer portfolios than human advisers and that … scenario cues, not adviser idiosyncrasies, drive the difference.”

Read more on MarketWatch

The tangents, the idiosyncrasies of the hosts and the glimpses of private life leave listeners feeling connected.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Their actions, character, and — yes, I think I can use this word — spirit have literally helped form your neural pathways, so that the way they thought, their little idiosyncrasies, are dwelling in you.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• eccentricity 
• mannerism 
• peculiarity 
• trait