Changes

==Origin==

==Origin==

[[Greek]] ''idiosynkrasia'' or ἰδιοσυγκρασία "a peculiar [[temperament]]", "[[habit]] of [[body]]" from ''idio''- + ''synkerannynai'' to blend, from ''syn''- + ''kerannynai'' to mingle, mix  

[[Greek]] ''idiosynkrasia'' or ἰδιοσυγκρασία "a peculiar [[temperament]]", "[[habit]] of [[body]]" from ''idio''- + ''synkerannynai'' to blend, from ''syn''- + ''kerannynai'' to mingle, mix  

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th_century 1604]

*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th_century 1604]

==Description==

==Description==

An '''idiosyncrasy''' is an [[unusual]] feature of a person (though there are also other uses, see below). It also means odd [[habit]]. The term is often used to express [[eccentricity]] or peculiarity. A synonym may be quirk.

An '''idiosyncrasy''' is an [[unusual]] feature of a person (though there are also other uses, see below). It also means odd [[habit]]. The term is often used to express [[eccentricity]] or peculiarity. A synonym may be quirk.

The term can also be applied to [[symbols]] or [[words]]. Idiosyncratic symbols mean one thing for a particular [[person]], as a blade could mean [[war]], but to someone else, it could symbolize a [[surgery]]. By the same [[principle]], linguists (such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_de_Saussure Ferdinand de Saussure]) state that words are not only [[arbitrary]], but also largely idiosyncratic [[signs]].

The term can also be applied to [[symbols]] or [[words]]. Idiosyncratic symbols mean one thing for a particular [[person]], as a blade could mean [[war]], but to someone else, it could symbolize a [[surgery]]. By the same [[principle]], linguists (such as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_de_Saussure Ferdinand de Saussure]) state that words are not only [[arbitrary]], but also largely idiosyncratic [[signs]].

[[Category: General Reference]]

[[Category: General Reference]]