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When something is aberrant, it is unusual, not socially acceptable, or a departure from the norm.
If something is an anomaly, it is different from what is usual or expected; hence, it is highly noticeable.
Something that is apposite is relevant or suitable to what is happening or being discussed.
A bohemian is someone who lives outside mainstream society, often embracing an unconventional lifestyle of self-expression, creativity, and rebellion against conventional rules and ways of society.
A condign reward or punishment is deserved by and appropriate or fitting for the person who receives it.
A man who is debonair is sophisticated, charming, friendly, and confident.
Decorous appearance or behavior is respectable, polite, and appropriate for a given occasion.
When something is droll, it is humorous in an odd way.
Errant things or people behave in a way that is unacceptable or wrong, such as a missile that travels in the wrong direction or a student who does not follow classroom rules.
A foible is a small weakness or character flaw in a person that is considered somewhat unusual; that said, it is also viewed as unimportant and harmless.
A heretic is someone who doubts or acts in opposition to commonly or generally accepted beliefs.
The word homogeneous is used to describe a group that has members or parts which are similar or are all of the same type.
Idiosyncratic tendencies, behavior, or habits are unusual and strange.
Something that is immutable is always the same and cannot be changed.
Someone who is impetuous does things quickly and rashly without thinking carefully first.
If you describe someone’s behavior as inane, you think it is completely stupid or without much meaning.
Something that is incongruous is strange when considered along with its group because it seems very different from the other things in its group.
If you describe something as ludicrous, you mean that it is extremely silly, stupid, or just plain ridiculous.
A maverick individual does not follow general opinions of society as a whole; rather, they think for themself and often strike out on their own.
A mercurial person’s mind or mood changes often, quickly, and unpredictably.
A social norm is the standard, model, or rule by which people conduct themselves.
A pariah is a social outcast.
To be politic in a decision is to be socially wise and diplomatic.
Propriety is behaving in a socially acceptable and appropriate way.
A radical solution to a problem goes to the heart or root of it; a radical solution is most often an extreme solution to the problem.
A recluse is someone who chooses to live alone and deliberately avoids other people.
You show rectitude if you behave or conduct yourself in an honest and morally correct manner.
If you are staid, you are set in your ways; consequently, you are settled, serious, law-abiding, conservative, and traditional—and perhaps even a tad dull.
Something statutory, such as the power given to a governor or president, is created, established, and controlled by rules and laws; hence, it has the full force of the law behind it and must be followed.
An unorthodox opinion is unusual, not customary, and goes against established ways of thinking.
Something that is volatile can change easily and vary widely.
If you act in a wayward fashion, you are very headstrong, independent, disobedient, unpredictable, and practically unmanageable.
Adj.
eccentric
ek-SEN-trik
Context
Paul Erdos was an eccentric and unusual Hungarian mathematical genius. His eccentricities or oddities included having no home, no possessions, and no address. His vocabulary was peculiar or eccentric as well: he used the word “left” when a person died, “died” when someone stopped doing math, and called little children “epsilons.” While his weird and eccentric mannerisms surprised many, his friends remember him as a gentle, warm, and generous genius.
Quiz:Try again!
If someone is eccentric, what are they?
They are seen as a bit strange and different from others.
They are good at knowing random trivia.
They are likely to live by themselves in a remote place.
Beck's Off-Center Tic Beck's eccentric and off-center tic upon greeting someone was to rapidly blink five times in succession, tap his head three times while wiggling his ears, jerk both knees while leaping into the air, and finally say hello out of the corner of his mouth in 15 different languages.
Examples
Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.
— Bertrand Russell, British philosopher
"[Serbian inventor Nikola] Tesla was definitely the underdog," says Hunt, who portrays him as an eccentric who wanders to Bryant Park to talk to Goethe’s statue.
—
Newsweek
[Ezra Miller’s] eccentric style feels simultaneously authentic and performative, allowing him to steal the spotlight during the “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” press tour . . . The actor’s clothing choices reflect his refusal to abide by societal norms.
—
The Washington Post
There's new research that shows there's a particular quality among artists that tends to bias us into believing they are great. That quality is to be eccentric in some way, to wear outlandish clothes, act in outlandish ways, do socially inappropriate things.
—
NPR
An eccentric person is “off center,” that is, he does not follow the norms of societal behavior.
Word Theater
The Dark Knight The Joker is one eccentric guy.
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Word Constellation
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Related Words
aberrant ·
anomaly ·
bohemian ·
droll ·
errant ·
foible ·
heretic ·
idiosyncratic ·
impetuous ·
inane ·
incongruous ·
ludicrous ·
maverick+ ·
mercurial ·
pariah ·
radical ·
recluse ·
unorthodox+ ·
volatile ·
wayward+ ·
apposite ·
condign ·
debonair ·
decorous ·
homogeneous ·
immutable ·
norm+ ·
politic ·
propriety ·
rectitude ·
staid+ ·
statutory ·
Similar sense
Opposite sense
Word Variants
eccentricity
n
→
an unusual way of acting
eccentric
n
→
one who behaves in a strange or unusual way
The section lists important variants and alternate definitions of the headword. Knowing variants will often help you both remember and understand the word. Not all variants are listed - only the ones we think that are important for you to know.
