idiosyncratic
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of idiosyncratic
First recorded in 1750–60; equivalent to idio- ( def. ) + Greek sýnkrat(os) “closely united” + -ic ( def. ); cf. syn- ( def. ), crater
Explanation
Idiosyncratic means unique to an individual. Albert Einstein famously had lots of idiosyncratic habits. For example, he rarely wore socks, and he talked to his cat. One thing that Einstein definitely wasn't was an idiot. Yet idiosyncratic and idiot are related. Idio is ancient Greek for "one's own." An idiosyncratic person is someone who does things in his own way. And the original meaning of idiot was basically "a regular Joe" — an ordinary person who keeps to himself.
Vocabulary lists containing idiosyncratic
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
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Into the Wild
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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.
This isn’t an argument for turning every anonymous strip mall back into a village of idiosyncratic mom-and-pop shops.
From Salon ● Oct. 3, 2026
Knight-Swift and XPO “got a couple idiosyncratic levers that they’re pulling and that I don’t think others have,” he said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026
Apple TV’s “Widow’s Bay” is filled with idiosyncratic characters who wear their charming small-town quirks on their sleeves.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
But the actor immediately makes an impression that’s idiosyncratic and indelible.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
There was nothing idiosyncratic about Brinker unless you saw him from behind; I did as he turned to close the door after him.
From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles
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.
