idiosyncrasy
noun
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Definition of idiosyncrasy
1a : a peculiarity of constitution or temperament : an individualizing characteristic or quality
b : individual hypersensitiveness (as to a drug or food)
2 : characteristic peculiarity (as of temperament) broadly : eccentricity
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Other Words from idiosyncrasy
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adjective
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adverb
Synonyms for idiosyncrasy
Synonyms
crotchet, curiosity, eccentricity, erraticism, individualism, kink, mannerism, oddity, peculiarity, quiddity, quip, quirk, singularity, tic, trick, twist
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Examples of idiosyncrasy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And splashy canvases by Zhang Wei, who was born in 1952, have a careless dynamism and personal idiosyncrasy that Wu would have appreciated. — Jason Farago, Martha Schwendener And Will Heinrich, New York Times, "What to See in New York Art Galleries This Week," 5 Apr. 2018 By the start of season two, GLOW’s cast has developed the sort of intimacy particular to those who are abruptly thrown together and tasked with creating art, all the while wading through one another’s idiosyncrasies and prejudices. — Rachel Vorona Cote, The New Republic, "In GLOW, Who Gets To Be Empowered?," 28 June 2018 Trudeau’s critics still love to complain about his cutesy idiosyncrasies: wearing flashy socks, for example, being frequently seen shirtless in public, or photo-bombing regular Canadians. — Selena Ross, Washington Post, "Trudeau takes his turn as Trump’s principal antagonist, and Canadians rally around," 10 June 2018 Trudeau's critics still love to complain about his cutesy idiosyncrasies: wearing flashy socks, being seen shirtless in public, or photobombing regular Canadians. — Author: Selena Ross, Anchorage Daily News, "Trudeau takes his turn as Trump's principal antagonist, and Canadians rally around him," 10 June 2018 Along’s excellent third album, Frances Quinlan clearly put in the time to sharpen her storytelling and own the idiosyncrasies of her voice. — Billboard Staff, Billboard, "The 50 Best Albums of 2018 (So Far): Critics' Picks," 5 June 2018 But the researchers account for these idiosyncrasies and naturally occurring lead from sources like volcanoes to create a timeline that just looks at the output from the smelters. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Greenland’s Ice Provides a Year-By-Year Account of the Roman Empire’s Economy," 16 May 2018 Only family and friends are invited, and the intimate setting reveals some idiosyncrasies of mixed martial arts that often go unseen and unheard. — Robert Klemko, SI.com, "Greg Hardy, the UFC and the Limits of the Second Chance," 25 June 2018 He was also known for personal idiosyncrasies, such as confiscating neckties of employees, salespeople or customers. — Benjamin Oreskes, latimes.com, "Essential California: The richest and the poorest in Congress," 6 Mar. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'idiosyncrasy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for idiosyncrasy
idiosyncrasy
noun
English Language Learners Definition of idiosyncrasy
: an unusual way in which a particular person behaves or thinks
: an unusual part or feature of something
See the full definition for idiosyncrasy in the English Language Learners Dictionary
idiosyncrasy
noun
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Kids Definition of idiosyncrasy
: an unusual way of behaving or thinking that is characteristic of a person When you know someone a long time, you become accustomed to their idiosyncrasies …— Lemony Snicket, The Ersatz Elevator
idiosyncrasy
noun
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Medical Definition of idiosyncrasy
1 : a peculiarity of physical or mental constitution or temperament
2 : individual hypersensitiveness (as to a drug or food) anemia accompanying the use of a sulfa drug is usually considered to be due to idiosyncrasy
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