idiosyncrasy
Americannoun
plural
idiosyncrasies-
a characteristic, habit, mannerism, or the like, that is peculiar to an individual.
- Synonyms:
- quirk, peculiarity
-
the physical constitution peculiar to an individual.
-
a peculiarity of the physical or the mental constitution, especially susceptibility toward drugs, food, etc.
noun
-
a tendency, type of behaviour, mannerism, etc, of a specific person; quirk
-
the composite physical or psychological make-up of a specific person
-
an abnormal reaction of an individual to specific foods, drugs, or other agents
Related Words
See eccentricity.
Other Word Forms
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
Explanation
If a person has an idiosyncrasy, he or she has a little quirk, or a funny behavior, that makes him or her different. If you only say goodbye in French, never in English, that would be an idiosyncrasy. Idio seems like it means stupid, but really it is Latin for "one's own," as an idiosyncrasy is one's own particular, usually odd, behavior. Putting salt in your hot chocolate or needing the light on to sleep or tapping your head while you think are all idiosyncrasies. A machine such as a DVD player has an idiosyncrasy if you have to do something weird to it to make it work like having to bang it on the back left-hand side to stop it from skipping.
Vocabulary lists containing idiosyncrasy
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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.
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 • Mar. 6, 2026
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 • Dec. 23, 2025
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.
From BBC • Sep. 15, 2025
At times the latter has been in strict alignment with hip-hop’s center; sometimes it has taken her to pop excess; at other moments, it has found her pursuing a path of rap idiosyncrasy.
From New York Times • Dec. 11, 2023
Never one where Chekhov’s talent is matched, nuance for nuance, idiosyncrasy for idiosyncrasy, by every soul onstage.
From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger
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.
