quirk

play

noun \ ˈkwərk \

Definition of quirk

1 a :an abrupt twist or curve

b :a peculiar trait :idiosyncrasy

c :accident, vagary

a quirk of fate

2 :a groove separating a bead or other molding from adjoining members

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quirkily

play \ˈkwər-kə-lē\ adverb

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quirkiness

play \ˈkwər-kē-nəs\ noun

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quirkish

play \ˈkwər-kish\ adjective

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quirky

play \ˈkwər-kē\ adjective

See quirk defined for English-language learners

See quirk defined for kids

quirk was our Word of the Day on 03/14/2013. Hear the podcast!

Examples of quirk in a Sentence

Everyone has their little quirks.
wearing red shoes every day is just one of her quirks

Recent Examples of quirk from the Web

Soulful plates are worth the quirks: Lamb ragù with pickled beet stems sits atop lush tahini, while roasted potatoes require only a squeeze of charred lemon to shine.

— garrett snyder, Los Angeles Magazine, "4 New Restaurants to Try Right Now," 28 Aug. 2017
THE VIBE IS: friendly with just the right amount of quirk.

— Bon Appetit, "Himitsu," 1 Aug. 2017
Due to a scheduling quirk, this is the first of two home games for Louisville City against its rivals up Interstate-71.

— daniel karell, The Courier-Journal, "Watch Live: FC Cincinnati at Louisville City FC," 15 July 2017
Perhaps a seeming quirk or coincidence that captures the imagination is enough in and of itself to provide the spur to progress.

— The Economist, "If the universe was not “fine-tuned”Reflections on the fine-structure constant," 13 July 2017
A Cohn quirk was to rarely order food and, instead, commandeer the meals of his dining partners.

— marie brenner, The Hive, "How Donald Trump and Roy Cohn’s Ruthless Symbiosis Changed America," 4 July 2017
A Cohn quirk was to rarely order food and, instead, commandeer the meals of his dining partners.

— marie brenner, The Hive, "How Donald Trump and Roy Cohn’s Ruthless Symbiosis Changed America," 4 July 2017
A Cohn quirk was to rarely order food and, instead, commandeer the meals of his dining partners.

— vanityfair.com, "How Donald Trump and Roy Cohn’s Ruthless Symbiosis Changed America," 28 June 2017
Because of this quirk in the rules, hyperbaric management companies tend to court hospitals to install their devices.

— phil galewitz, Kaiser Health News, "Hospitals Ramp Up Hyperbaric Therapy For Diabetics, Despite Concerns," 28 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'quirk.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of quirk

origin unknown

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1565

See Words from the same year

quirk Synonyms

Synonyms

crotchet, curiosity, eccentricity, erraticism, individualism, kink, mannerism, oddity, peculiarity, quiddity, quip, idiosyncrasy, singularity, tic, trick, twist

Near Antonyms

conformity, sameness

quirk

verb

Definition of quirk

:curve, twist

quirked his eyebrows

Recent Examples of quirk from the Web

When the Giants head back to San Francisco in a few weeks, Flannery plans to walk the foul lines at AT&T Park with Nevin to go over ground rules and the outfield quirks that must become second nature to a third base coach.

— andrew baggarly, The Mercury News, "“I would have ran onto the field naked”: Phil Nevin brings passion to Giants coaching staff," 20 Feb. 2017

Did You Know?

Did you expect quirk to be a noun meaning "a peculiarity of action or behavior"? If so, you're probably not alone; the "peculiarity" sense of the noun quirk is commonly known and has been a part of our language since the 17th century. But quirk has long worn other hats in English, too. The sense meaning "a curve, turn, or twist" has named everything from curving pen marks on paper (i.e., flourishes) to witty turns of phrase to the vagaries or twists of fate. In contemporary English, the verb quirk is most often used in referring to facial expressions, especially those that involve crooked smiles or furrowed eyebrows.