idiosyncrasy English · revision 2187

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˌɪdɪəʊˈsɪŋkɹəsi/, /ˌɪdɪəˈsɪŋkɹəsi/ ''(UK)''; /ˌɪdiəˈsɪŋkɹəsi/, /ˌɪdioʊˈsɪŋkɹəsi/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|grc|ἰδιοσυγκρασία|tr=idiosunkrasía|t=a peculiar temperament]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) probably through French ''idiosyncrasie'',^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from ''ídios'' “one's own”^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) and ''súnkrasis'' “temperament, mixture”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from ''sun-'' “together” and ''krâsis'' “a mixing”,^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) [[der|ine-pro|*kere-|t=to mix]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD) Etymonline points out that it comes from ''krasis'', not ''kratos'', so it is not spelled like words in ''-cracy''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The physical constitution peculiar to an individual (1604).^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word was at first medical,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and the medical sense survives as an individual's hypersensitivity to a drug or food.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)^(AHD) From 1665 it meant a person's peculiar mental constitution or bent of mind,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) and from 1837–9 a mode of expression peculiar to an author.^(OED 1989) In modern use it means loosely any quirk, habit or eccentricity.^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1604 – the physical constitution peculiar to an individual.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1665 – a personal peculiarity of mind.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * a1779 – ''idiosyncratic''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1837–9 – a mode of expression peculiar to an author.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A characteristic, habit or mannerism peculiar to an individual or group; a quirk.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A peculiarity of physical or mental constitution or temperament.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+ # ''(medicine)'' An individual's unusual reaction or hypersensitivity to a food or drug.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[idiosyncratic]]

+ * [[idiosyncratically]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[idiom]]

+ * [[idiot]]

+ * [[crater]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}