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.
Early cave paintings depicted animals with highly specific and idiosyncratic detail, but human beings were made to appear vague and generic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
We all also have plenty of celebrities with idiosyncratic features who nonetheless have the confidence and quelque chose de spécial that makes them irresistible to many.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026
That’s because some idiosyncratic factors contributed to these recent growth rates, making it even less likely they will persist indefinitely.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 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
It makes us sniff in idiosyncratic, recognizable family ways.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
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.
