Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “idiosyncratic” come from?

Idiosyncratic comes from French -ique, Ancient Greek σύν meaning "together," and Proto-Indo-European sem- meaning "one."

idiosyncratic (English): Peculiar to a specific individual; eccentric

Definitions

  1. Peculiar to a specific individual; eccentric

Ancestry of “idiosyncratic”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishidiosyncrasyA behavior or way of thinking that is...
2Ancient Greekἰδιοσυγκρασίαpeculiar temperament or habit, idiosyncrasy
3Ancient Greek-ῐ́ᾱ{{l|en|-ia}}; "suffix forming abstract feminine...
4Proto-Indo-European-íh₂—
5Proto-Indo-European-h₂Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups...

Words derived from “idiosyncratic”

  • idiosyncratically
  • nonidiosyncratic
  • unidiosyncratic
  • unidiosyncratically
  • idiosyncraticity
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -h₂ →