idiosyncratic
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- idiosyncratically adverb
Etymology
Origin of idiosyncratic
First recorded in 1750–60; equivalent to idio- ( def. ) + Greek sýnkrat(os) “closely united” + -ic ( def. ); syn- ( def. ), crater
Explanation
Idiosyncratic means unique to an individual. Albert Einstein famously had lots of idiosyncratic habits. For example, he rarely wore socks, and he talked to his cat. One thing that Einstein definitely wasn't was an idiot. Yet idiosyncratic and idiot are related. Idio is ancient Greek for "one's own." An idiosyncratic person is someone who does things in his own way. And the original meaning of idiot was basically "a regular Joe" — an ordinary person who keeps to himself.
Vocabulary lists containing idiosyncratic
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Into the Wild
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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.
Third, investments are diversified across industries, geographies and credit strategies, which limits exposure to idiosyncratic shocks.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
These college graduates are an idiosyncratic subset of college grads who wind up in frustrating working-class situations and translate their frustrations into union activities.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
Greenspan, who turns 100 on March 6, often peppered his responses and his speeches with idiosyncratic insights when he didn’t want to talk about interest rates.
From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026
There were too many styles, too many idiosyncratic approaches to the dramatic poetry.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026
More important, he knew that Pollard was the jockey best able to protect his horse’s idiosyncratic body from injury.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
