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

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

The headline proposal of the reforms is the removal of the not proven verdict - a legal idiosyncrasy that can be traced back to the 17th Century.

Read more on BBC

Really loving someone means appreciating their idiosyncrasies, like “their little 11 line or a little crooked tooth — these little imperfections that become so beautiful to you.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Some liberals, too, lament the rebrand, though largely for different reasons: they see it as another step in the long flattening of American restaurants, where corporate sleekness overtakes idiosyncrasy, hospitality or even basic conviviality.

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And “country,” the hands-down favorite music of “real Americans,” has long been a production-line item with as much idiosyncrasy in the songs as Olive Garden breadsticks.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• eccentricity 
• mannerism 
• peculiarity 
• trait