Meaning & use
eccentric
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Behaving or dressing in an odd, unusual way that does not follow normal habits, often in a harmless or charming manner.
Grammar: Works before a noun or after a verb: an eccentric uncle; he is eccentric.
Patterns
- eccentric behavior
- slightly eccentric
Our neighbor is an eccentric inventor who builds clocks from scrap.
She has some eccentric habits, like eating dinner at midnight.
His eccentric taste in hats made him easy to spot.
nouncountable
A person whose habits or ideas are unusual in ways that others find odd or amusing.
Grammar: Plural is eccentrics: a lovable eccentric; village eccentrics.
Patterns
- a harmless eccentric
- a local eccentric
The town's resident eccentric walks a goat on a leash.
Writers are often seen as lovable eccentrics.
He was known as an eccentric who talked to his plants.
adjectivebefore a nountechnical
Not placed at the center, or not circular, as in a wheel or orbit with an off-center axis.
Grammar: Usually comes before a noun: an eccentric circle.
Patterns
- an eccentric orbit
The planet follows an eccentric orbit around its star.
The machine uses an eccentric wheel to create a rocking motion.
Two eccentric circles share no common center.
Word forms
| comparative | more eccentric |
|---|---|
| superlative | most eccentric |
| plural | eccentrics |
Common combinations
- eccentric behavior
- His eccentric behavior amused the whole street.
- eccentric millionaire
- An eccentric millionaire left her fortune to cats.
- slightly eccentric
- The professor was slightly eccentric but kind.
- eccentric habit
- One eccentric habit of hers was wearing mismatched socks.
- eccentric orbit
- Comets often follow an eccentric orbit.
Synonyms and how they differ
- quirky
- Quirky is lighter and cuter, suggesting charming little oddities.
- odd
- Odd is a general word and can be negative, while eccentric suggests a distinctive personal style.
- unconventional
- Unconventional focuses on breaking norms, not on personality.
- peculiar
- Peculiar often sounds stranger or more puzzling than eccentric.
Opposites
Word family
- eccentricity noun
- an odd habit or the quality of being eccentric
- eccentrically adverb
- in an unusual way
Commonly confused: eccentric or erratic?
eccentric vs erratic
Erratic means unpredictable or inconsistent, not just unusual in a harmless way.
Practice
Our eccentric aunt keeps a pet tortoise in the bathtub. What does eccentric suggest about her?
Choose one answer.
Eccentric describes unusual, usually harmless behavior. It does not imply cruelty, danger or wealth.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “eccentric”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.