Idiosyncrasy

WOTD - 17 September 2009

English[]

Wikipedia has an article on:

Idiosyncrasy

Etymology[]

First attested in 1604, in modern sense since 1665, from Old French idiosyncrasie < Ancient Greek ἰδιοσυγκρασία (idiosunkrasia), “‘one’s own temperament’”) < ἴδιος (idios), “‘one’s own’”) + σύν (sun), “‘together’”) + κράσις (krasis), “‘temperament’”).

Pronunciation[]

IPA: /ˌɪd.i.əʊˈsɪŋ.krə.si/, SAMPA: /%Id.i.@U"sIN.kr@.si/
IPA: /ˌɪdi.əˈsɪŋkɹəsi/

Noun[]

Singular
Idiosyncrasy

Plural
idiosyncras

Idiosyncrasy (idiosyncras)

A behavior or way of thinking that is characteristic of a person.
A language or behaviour that is particular to an individual or group.
(medicine) A peculiar individual reaction to a generally innocuous substance or factor.
A peculiarity that serves to distinguish or identify.
He mastered the idiosyncrasies of English spelling.

Synonyms[]

synonyms

Derived terms[]

derived terms

Translations[]

way of behaving or thinking

Danish: idiosynkratisk da(da) c.
Dutch: eigenheid, eigenaardigheid f.
German: Eigenheit de(de) f., Eigenart de(de) f.
Greek: ιδιοσυγκρασία el(el) (idiosygkrasía) f., νοοτροπία el(el) (no'otropía) f.

Italian: idiosincrasia it(it) f.
Polish: idiosynkrazja f., dziwactwo n.
Romanian: trăsătură ro(ro) f.
Russian: идиосинкразия ru(ru) (idiosinkrazíja) f.

language or behaviour particular to an individual or a group

Dutch: jargon nl(nl), eigenaardigheid nl(nl) f.
German: Eigenheit de(de) f., Eigenart de(de) f.
Italian: idiosincrasia it(it) f.
Polish: idiosynkrazja f.

Romanian: trăsătură ro(ro) f.
Russian: отличительная особенность (otličítel’naja osóbennost’) f., отличительная черта (otličítel’naja čertá) f.

individual reaction to a generally innocuous substance

Croatian: idiosinkrazija hr(hr) f.
Danish: overfølsomhed da(da) c., (rare) idiosynkrasi da(da) c.
Dutch: idiosyncrasie, overgevoeligheid
Finnish: idiosynkrasia fi(fi), yliherkkyys fi(fi)
German: Idiosynkrasie de(de) f.

Greek: ευαισθησία el(el) (evaisthisía) f.
Italian: idiosincrasia it(it) f.
Polish: idiosynkrazja f.
Romanian: idiosincrasie ro(ro) f.
Russian: идиосинкразия (idiosinkrazíja) f.

a peculiarity that serves to distinguish or identify

Danish: særhed da(da) c., særegenhed da(da) c., særpræg da(da) n., idiosynkrasi da(da) c.
Dutch: kenmerk nl(nl) n., eigenaardigheid nl(nl) f.
Finnish: ominaispiirre fi(fi)
German: Eigenheit de(de) f., Eigenart de(de) f.
Greek: ιδιοσυγκρασία el(el) (idiosygkrasía) f.
Hungarian: jellemző sajátosság, egyéni sajátosság

Italian: idiosincrasia it(it) f.
Mandarin: trad. and simpl. 特性 (pinyin: tèxìng)
Norwegian: særegenhet no(no) m.
Romanian: caracteristică ro(ro) f., particularitate ro(ro) f.
Russian: отличительная особенность (otličítel’naja osóbennost’) f., отличительная черта (otličítel’naja čertá) f.

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

French: idiosyncrasie f.
Greek: ιδιοσυγκρασία (iðiosinkrasía) f.
Hebrew: אידיוסינקרטיות (idiosynkretiyut) f.
Portuguese: idiossincrasia f.

Spanish: idiosincrasia f., peculiaridad f., particularidad f.
Swedish: egenhet

References[]

Idiosyncrasy in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
Idiosyncrasy in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

fa:idiosyncrasy fr:idiosyncrasy io:idiosyncrasy kn:idiosyncrasy ru:idiosyncrasy simple:idiosyncrasy fi:idiosyncrasy ta:idiosyncrasy vi:idiosyncrasy zh:idiosyncrasy