Something that’s “idiosyncratic” (ih-dee-oh-sin-KRAT-ik) – from the Greek for “one’s own mixture” – is eccentric, peculiar to a particular individual.
Example (as used by Will Blythe in The New York Times Book Review): “[James Agee] left behind an idiosyncratic nonfiction classic called Let Us Now Praise Famous Men along with one of those myths for hard-living and intemperate genius… .”
[Ed. Note: Become a more persuasive writer and speaker ... build your self-confidence and intellect ... increase your attractiveness to others ... just by spending 10 VERY enjoyable minutes a day with ETR's new Words to the Wise CD Library.]
Similar Articles:
- Word to the Wise: Paean – A "paean" (PEE-un) is a song of praise, joy, or triumph. The word is derived from an ancie…
- Quiddity – Word to the Wise: Quiddity “Quiddity” (KWID-ih-tee) – from the Latin for “what” – is the essential n…
- The Language Perfectionist: Less Full Than Some – Consider these two examples, selected from thousands that an Internet search turned up: "Althou…
- Eremite – An “eremite” (ER-uh-mite) – from the Greek for “living in the desert” – is a hermit, especially a re…
- Disgusting Beauty Secrets of the Ancient World – Plastic surgery, liposuction, Botox injections, hair transplants… you might think that modern medici…
- A Salmagundi of Errors – As I create these columns, I often encounter interesting errata that don’t fit into a specific categ…
- Battle of the Ab Exercises – To get six-pack abs, most people think they’ll have to do hundreds of crunches. But crunches involve…