bizarre English · revision 369

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /bɪˈzɑː(ɹ)/ ''(UK)''; /bɪˈzɑɹ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|bizarre|t=odd, fantastic]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[der|it|bizzarro|t=angry, irascible]].^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) Etymonline derives the Italian word from ''bizza'' “a fit of anger”;^(Etymonline) Random House calls its origin disputed.^(RHWU) The American Heritage Dictionary gives an older derivation through Spanish ''bizarro'' “brave” from Basque ''bizar'' “beard”,^(AHD) which Etymonline says is no longer considered tenable.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Departing from accepted taste or ordinary style; eccentric, whimsical (before 1648).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Italian the word moved from “irascible” to “unpredictable, eccentric” and then “strange”, and it was in this last sense that French and English took it.^(Etymonline) French once also had the sense “brave”, from the Spanish word.^(Barnhart 1995) In gardening, ''bizarre'' names a flower with irregular coloured stripes, such as a tulip or carnation (1753).^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1648 – eccentric, extravagant, strange.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1753 – in horticulture, of variegated flowers; also as a noun.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1824 – grotesque, irregular in form.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Strikingly odd or unconventional, often in a fantastic or incongruous way.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A flower with unusual striped markings.^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[bizarrely]]

+ * [[bizarreness]]

+ * [[bizarrerie]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}