quirk
Americannoun
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a peculiarity of action, behavior, or personality; mannerism.
He is full of strange quirks.
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a shift, subterfuge, or evasion; quibble.
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a sudden twist or turn.
He lost his money by a quirk of fate.
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a flourish or showy stroke, as in writing.
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Architecture.
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an acute angle or channel, as one dividing two parts of a molding or one dividing a flush bead from the adjoining surfaces.
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an area taken from a larger area, as a room or a plot of ground.
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an enclosure for this area.
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Obsolete. a clever or witty remark; quip.
adjective
noun
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an individual peculiarity of character; mannerism or foible
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an unexpected twist or turn
a quirk of fate
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a continuous groove in an architectural moulding
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a flourish, as in handwriting
Synonym Usage
See eccentricity.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of quirk
First recorded in 1540–50; origin uncertain
Explanation
A quirk is a unique, odd, and sometimes charming trait that makes a person stand out from the crowd. Country comedian Minnie Pearl was known for her quirk of wearing a $1.98 price tag dangling from her hat. A quirk can be an adorable little habit, like wearing flowery dresses and big sun bonnets or bow ties every day. Someone who has one or many quirks is said to be quirky — a little odd, but usually in a fun way. When it's not being used to describe people's unusual traits, quirk can mean a quick curve, or a groove, that runs along or separates the molding in a building.
Vocabulary lists containing quirk
40 SAT words Beginning with "Q"
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The Witch of Blackbird Pond
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The Poet X
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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.
It’s a cruel quirk of fate, or maybe just a tragic irony, that we are celebrating America’s semiquincentennial during one of the most surreal periods in American history.
From Salon • Jun. 30, 2026
This drafting quirk, far more than just a fun fact for grammar nerds or English teachers nationwide, is seen as proof that a narrow reading of the spending clause is most appropriate.
From Slate • Jun. 23, 2026
It was that quirk of fate that allowed Balogun, who lived just two months in the U.S., to represent the country on soccer’s biggest stage.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 15, 2026
“The jump was expected due to a quirk from the government shutdown,” noted Thomas Simons, chief U.S. economist at Jefferies.
From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026
A little quirk of a point that tells me when he’s joking.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
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.
