Dictionary

1eccentric

adjective ec·cen·tric \ik-ˈsen-trik, ek-\

: tending to act in strange or unusual ways

: strange or unusual

: not following a perfectly circular path

Full Definition of ECCENTRIC

1
a :  deviating from an established or usual pattern or style <eccentric products>
b :  deviating from conventional or accepted usage or conduct especially in odd or whimsical ways <an eccentric millionaire>
2
a :  deviating from a circular path; especially :  elliptical 1 <an eccentric orbit>
b :  located elsewhere than at the geometrical center; also :  having the axis or support so located <an eccentric wheel>
ec·cen·tri·cal·ly \-tri-k(ə-)lē\ adverb
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Examples of ECCENTRIC

  1. It was Charles Darwin's eccentric mathematician cousin Francis Galton who in 1874 ignited the nature-nurture controversy. … —Matt Ridley, Time, 2 June 2003

Origin of ECCENTRIC

Middle English, from Medieval Latin eccentricus, from Greek ekkentros, from ex out of + kentron center
First Known Use: circa 1630

Synonym Discussion of ECCENTRIC

strange, singular, unique, peculiar, eccentric, erratic, odd, quaint, outlandish mean departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected. strange stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable <a journey filled with strange sights>. singular suggests individuality or puzzling strangeness <a singular feeling of impending disaster>. unique implies singularity and the fact of being without a known parallel <a career unique in the annals of science>. peculiar implies a marked distinctiveness <the peculiar status of America's first lady>. eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior <the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers>. erratic stresses a capricious and unpredictable wandering or deviating <a friend's suddenly erratic behavior>. odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected <an odd sense of humor>. quaint suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness <a quaint fishing village>. outlandish applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric <outlandish fashions of the time>.

Rhymes with ECCENTRIC

2eccentric

noun ec·cen·tric \ik-ˈsen-trik, ek-\

: a person who acts in strange or unusual ways : an eccentric person

Full Definition of ECCENTRIC

1
:  a mechanical device consisting of an eccentric (see 1eccentric) disk communicating its motion to a rod so as to produce reciprocating motion
2
:  a person who behaves in odd or unusual ways :  an eccentric person

Examples of ECCENTRIC

  1. To his own townspeople Thoreau was a radical and an eccentric, a man without a vocation, supporting himself doing odd jobs, devoting himself to what seemed to them inconsequential rambles, and living like a hermit on the shores of Walden Pond. —Maxine Kumin, In Deep, 1987

Origin of ECCENTRIC

(see 1eccentric)
First Known Use: 1827
ECCENTRIC Defined for Kids

1eccentric

adjective ec·cen·tric \ik-ˈsen-trik, ek-\

Definition of ECCENTRIC for Kids

1
:  acting or thinking strangely <an eccentric man>
2
:  not of the usual or normal kind <eccentric ideas>

2eccentric

noun

Definition of ECCENTRIC for Kids

:  a person who behaves strangely

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Next Word in the Dictionary: eccentricalPrevious Word in the Dictionary: ecce homoAll Words Near: eccentric
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