offbeat

[ adjective awf-beet, of-; noun awf-beet, of- ]

adjective

1. differing from the usual or expected; unconventional:

   an offbeat comedian.

noun

1. Music. an unaccented beat of a measure.

offbeat

/ ˈɒfˌbiːt /

noun

1. music any of the normally unaccented beats in a bar, such as the second and fourth beats in a bar of four-four time. They are stressed in most rock and some jazz and dance music, such as the bossa nova

adjective

1. 1. unusual, unconventional, or eccentric
   2. ( as noun )

      he liked the offbeat in fashion

Word History and Origins

Origin of offbeat¹

First recorded in 1925–30; off + beat

Example Sentences

Andrew Meieran will soon reopen the doors to Clifton’s, of one of L.A.’s legendary restaurants, in a bid to once again make it an offbeat dining destination.

From Los Angeles Times

“What makes it so hard is that I have to say commands offbeat to Rhythm so that every move will go with the music,” Sagi says.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s rare for a three-month span to offer such volume and variety in the musical genre: animated adventures and live-action titles, family-friendly fare and grittier, offbeat dares.

From Los Angeles Times

Directed by Echo Theater Company artistic director Chris Fields, who has an instinct for offbeat work that links the personal to the political, the production is sure to draw out Hunter’s gifts for revealing connections between where we live and how we feel.

From Los Angeles Times

She’s got a casualness about her that’s true to her status, but she also has always existed somewhat out of time, a quality that allowed her to play the offbeat loners of Burton’s world as well as heroines invented by Louisa May Alcott and Edith Wharton, in films from Gillian Armstrong and Martin Scorsese.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bizarre
• eccentric
• idiosyncratic
• unconventional
• unorthodox
• unusual
• weird