idiosyncratic

[id-ee-oh-sin-krat-ik, -sing-]

adjective

1. pertaining to the nature of idiosyncrasy, or something peculiar to an individual.

   The best minds are idiosyncratic and unpredictable as they follow the course of scientific discovery.

idiosyncratic

/ ˌɪdɪəʊsɪŋˈkrætɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to idiosyncrasy; characteristic of a specific person

Other Word Forms

• idiosyncratically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of idiosyncratic¹

First recorded in 1750–60; equivalent to idio- ( def. ) + Greek sýnkrat(os) “closely united” + -ic ( def. ); syn- ( def. ), crater

Example Sentences

Two releases that stood out in this crowded field came from idiosyncratic producers who put a personal spin on styles of the past.

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The unabashed, idiosyncratic freedom that Gladys exudes is likely part of what has endeared her to audiences.

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“Instead, the markets are weighing in that the individual components of the group are increasingly trading on their idiosyncratic fundamental setups as related to AI and other company specific influences.”

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An analysis of improving sectors from the RRG charts shows that the three emerging leadership candidates each have their own idiosyncratic risk and return patterns.

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The author relates her principal story, of the two sisters, in the present tense, while keeping historical context in the past—an idiosyncratic choice that, fortunately, doesn’t derail the book’s narrative momentum.

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Related Words

• characteristic 
• distinctive 
• individual 
• peculiar 
• singular 
• specific 
• unique