idiosyncratic

[ id-ee-oh-sin-krat-ik, -sing- ]

adjective

1. pertaining to the nature of idiosyncrasy, or something peculiar to an individual:

   The best minds are idiosyncratic and unpredictable as they follow the course of scientific discovery.

idiosyncratic

/ ˌɪdɪəʊsɪŋˈkrætɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to idiosyncrasy; characteristic of a specific person

Derived Forms

• ˌidiosynˈcratically, adverb

Other Words From

• idi·o·syn·crati·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of idiosyncratic¹

First recorded in 1750–60; equivalent to idio- ( def ) + Greek sýnkrat(os) “closely united” + -ic ( def ); syn- ( def ), crater

Example Sentences

The industrial food supply will be the last bastion of the luxury economy, and we might mirror the cannibals in doomsday movies before we cede our idiosyncratic eating habits to austerity.

From Los Angeles Times

"This is precisely why documentaries centered on singular, idiosyncratic restaurants resonate so deeply, offering a glimpse of what’s being lost in the march toward homogenization."

From Salon

Crafted with care and a distinct point of view, “Between the Temples” is the kind of film that bears rewatching just because you want to spend more time with its idiosyncratic rhythm and energy.

From Los Angeles Times

While every presidential election is a complex machine involving millions of people with their own idiosyncratic opinions, there is a simple, visually arresting contrast defining this one: Harris' boisterous laugh versus Trump's relentless scowling.

From Salon

But given artistic director Thomas Jolly’s idiosyncratic opening show, set upon the Seine, one would have expected something interesting, if not on its own explicable.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• characteristic
• distinctive
• individual
• peculiar
• singular
• specific
• unique