entry
idiosyncrasy
/ˌɪdiəˈsɪŋkrəsi/a peculiar personal trait or habit
From Greek idios (one's own) + Greek syn (together) + Greek krasis (mixing).
from French idiosyncrasie
from French idiosyncrasie
from French idiosyncrasie
from French idiosyncrasie
from PIE root *kere- "to mix, confuse; cook" (see rare (adj.2)). Originally in English a medical term meaning "physical...
from French idiosyncrasie
Word Ancestry
from French idiosyncrasie
from French idiosyncrasie
from French idiosyncrasie
from French idiosyncrasie
from PIE root *kere- "to mix, confuse; cook" (see rare (adj.2)). Originally in English a medical term meaning "physical...
from French idiosyncrasie
This is one of those words that looks like it was assembled by a scholar wearing spectacles and a very serious coat. The Greek pieces are wonderfully literal: idios means “one’s own,” syn means “together,” and krasis is “mixing” — so the whole thing is basically a person’s own private blend. That’s why doctors in the 1600s used it for an individual’s bodily constitution before it loosened up into the friendlier modern idea of a quirky habit or personal tic. The last piece, krasis, is the same ancient mixing-word that gives English crasis, and it ultimately reaches back to a PIE root meaning “to mix” or even “to cook” — which is a lovely reminder that temperament once sounded a lot like a recipe. So when you call someone’s nail-chewing or odd tea ritual an idiosyncrasy, you are really saying: this is their own special little human stew.
The Story
This is one of those words that looks like it was assembled by a scholar wearing spectacles and a very serious coat. The Greek pieces are wonderfully literal: idios means “one’s own,” syn means “together,” and krasis is “mixing” — so the whole thing is basically a person’s own private blend. That’s why doctors in the 1600s used it for an individual’s bodily constitution before it loosened up into the friendlier modern idea of a quirky habit or personal tic. The last piece, krasis, is the same ancient mixing-word that gives English crasis, and it ultimately reaches back to a PIE root meaning “to mix” or even “to cook” — which is a lovely reminder that temperament once sounded a lot like a recipe. So when you call someone’s nail-chewing or odd tea ritual an idiosyncrasy, you are really saying: this is their own special little human stew.
Kin & Kindred
From 'idios'·one's own; private; peculiar
Derived Terms
English words from this root
From 'syn'·together; with
Derived Terms
English words from this root
From 'krasis'·mixing; temperament; blending
Derived Terms
English words from this root
Sources
Free Dictionary
Urban Dictionary
Wikipedia