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idiosyncrasy

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Definition of idiosyncrasy

noun (plural idiosyncrasies)

1a mode of behaviour or way of thought peculiar to an individual:one of his little idiosyncrasies was always preferring to be in the car first
a distinctive or peculiar feature or characteristic of a place or thing:the idiosyncrasies of the prison system

2 Medicine an abnormal physical reaction by an individual to a food or drug.

Origin:

early 17th century (originally in the sense 'physical constitution peculiar to an individual'): from Greek idiosunkrasia, from idios 'own, private' + sun 'with' + krasis 'mixture'

Spelling help

Spell idiosyncrasy with -syn- in the middle; it ends with -asy.

idiosyncrasy in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of idiosyncrasy in the US English dictionary

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