eccentric en · ADJ
Pronunciation
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰ Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₁eǵʰs Proto-Hellenic *eks Ancient Greek ἐκ (ek) Ancient Greek ἐκ- (ek-) Proto-Indo-European *ḱen-? Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-trom Proto-Indo-European *ḱéntrom Proto-Hellenic *kéntron Ancient Greek κέντρον (kéntron) Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Hellenic *-os Ancient Greek -ος (-os) Ancient Greek ἔκκεντρος (ékkentros)der. Medieval Latin eccentricusder. Middle French excentriquebor. English eccentric From Middle French excentrique, from Medieval Latin eccentricus, from Ancient Greek ἔκκεντρος (ékkentros, “not having the earth as the center of an orbit”), from ἐκ (ek, “out”) + κέντρον (kéntron, “point”). Equivalent to ex- + -centric.
Meanings
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Not at or in the centre; away from the centre.
Strikingly, we see that party births tend systematically to be at policy positions that are significantly more eccentric than those of surviving parties, whatever decision rule these parties use.
2011, Michael Laver, Ernest Sergenti., Party Competition: An Agent-Based Model, page 125:Suppose the small pulley on the right to be the driver, the larger wheel with an internal rack and the eccentric wheel within will be driven in opposite directions by the bands represented in the cut, while at the same time motion will be imparted to the intermediate pinion on the left, both round its own centre, and also round the common centre of the circular rack and concentric wheel.
1847, editorial staff, “Changing Speed and Direction of Circular Motion”, in Scientific American, series 1, Volume 3, Issue 9, page 72:
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Not perfectly circular; elliptical.
As of 2008, Margaret had the most eccentric orbit of any moon in the solar system, though Nereid's mean eccentricity is greater.
- Having a different center; not concentric.
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(figuratively) Of a person, deviating from the norm; behaving unexpectedly or differently; unconventional and slightly strange.
Khedron was the only other person in the city who could be called eccentric—and even his eccentricity had been planned by the designers of Diaspar.
1956, Arthur C. Clarke, The City and the Stars, published 2012, unnumbered page:There can be no doubt that as a matter of fact a religious life, exclusively pursued, does tend to make the person exceptional and eccentric.
1902, William James, “Lecture I”, in The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature […] , New York, N.Y.; London: Longmans, Green, and Co. […], →OCLC:1801, Author not named, Fyfield (John), entry in Eccentric Biography; Or, Sketches of Remarkable Characters, Ancient and Modern, page 127, He was a man of a most eccentric turn of mind, and great singularity of conduct.
Such is not the case with Mr. Martin Van Butchell, one of the most eccentric characters to be found in the British metropolis, and a gentleman of indisputable science and abilities, but whose strange humors and extraordinary habits, have rather tended to obscure than to display the talents he possessed.
1807, G. H. Wilson, editor, The Eccentric Mirror, volume 3, page 17:
- Of a motion, against or in the opposite direction of contraction of a muscle (such as results from flexion of the lower arm (bending of the elbow joint) by an external force while contracting the triceps and other elbow extensor muscles to control that movement; opening of the jaw while flexing the masseter).
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(figuratively) Having different goals or motives.
a. 1626, Francis Bacon, 1867, Richard Whately (analysis and notes), James R. Boyd (editor), Essay XI: Wisdom for a Man's Self, Lord Bacon's Essays, page 171, […] for whatsoever affairs pass such a man's hands he crooketh them to his own ends, which must needs be often eccentric to those of his master or state: […]
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Having or being an oospore with a single large oil globule on one side that displaces much of the ooplasm and forces the ooplasts to one side.
Oospores may be centric, subcentric, subeccentric or eccentric. Antheridial branches may or may not be present, and are androgynous, monoclinous, diclinous or hypogynous.
2014, Nicky B. Buller, Bacteria and Fungi From Fish and Other Aquatic Animals: A Practical Identification Manual, 2nd edition, Boston, M.A.: CABI, →ISBN, page 687:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most eccentric | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| excentrick | alternative | lexicographic | |
| eccentrick | alternative | lexicographic | |
| more eccentric | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| excentric | alternative | lexicographic |
Antonyms
consistent · normal · concentric · conventional · mainstream · ordinary · uneccentric
Deriveds
uneccentric · eccentrically · eccentric anomaly · eccentric flint · isoeccentric · eccentricate · eccentric abstraction · eccentric kangaroo unicycle · photoeccentric · eccentric hypertrophy · eccentric contraction · eccentrize
Descendants
Hypernyms
Relateds
strange person · central · foible · quirk · centric · eccentricity · idiosyncrasy · insane
Synonyms
freakish · kooky · eccentrical · crackpot · whimsical · erratic · barmy · pixilated · excentrical · queer · nutbar · excentrical · bizarre · off-centre · eccentrical · far-out · kookish · odd · wacky · outlandish · eccentrical · heteroclite · outré · weird · idiosyncratic · irregular · extraordinary · excentrical · aberrant · peculiar · eccentrical · squirrelly · excentrical · abnormal · spacy · uncommon · Wonkaesque · eccentric · Wodehousian · wifty · quirky · excentrical · quizzy · odd · abnormal · excentrical · balmy · idiocentric · oddballish · eccentrical · cranky · eccentrical · anomalous · whimsome
Translations (76)
ms aneh (deviating from the norm) · ca excèntric (having a different center) · ca excèntric (not at or in the centre) · sv excentrisk (not perfectly circular) · pt excêntrico (not perfectly circular) · mi korokē (deviating from the norm) · nl afwijkend (deviating from the norm) · ota دلی (deviating from the norm) · sv excentrisk (deviating from the norm) · az ekssentrik (deviating from the norm) · nl excentriek (deviating from the norm) · sv avvikande (deviating from the norm) · nl buitenissig (deviating from the norm) · sv excentrisk (not at or in the centre) · it eccentrico (deviating from the norm) · sh ексцентричан (not at or in the centre) · bg чудат (deviating from the norm) · pt excêntrico (not at or in the centre) · hu különc (deviating from the norm) · ta விசித்திரமான (deviating from the norm) · cs výstřední (deviating from the norm) · sh ekscentričan (not at or in the centre) · fi epäkeskinen (not at or in the centre) · pt excêntrico (having a different center) · de außermittig (having a different center) · ru эксцентри́ческий (not at or in the centre) · fi eksentrinen (deviating from the norm) · sh ексцентричан (not perfectly circular) · bg ексцентричен (having a different center) · es ideoso (deviating from the norm) · sh неуравнотежен (deviating from the norm) · fi eksentrinen (not at or in the centre) · fi epäkesko (having a different center) · fi omalaatuinen (deviating from the norm) · da excentrisk (deviating from the norm) · sv excentrisk (having a different center) · bg ексцентричен (deviating from the norm) · cmn 偏心的 (not at or in the centre) · gl excéntrico (not perfectly circular) · ms eksentrik (deviating from the norm) · nl excentrisch (not perfectly circular) · de exzentrisch (deviating from the norm) · pt excêntrico (deviating from the norm) · sh ekscentričan (not perfectly circular) · ja 偏心 (deviating from the norm) · unm kànkàmawsi (deviating from the norm) · hu bogaras (deviating from the norm) · gl estrafalario (deviating from the norm) · bg ексцентричен (not at or in the centre) · de schrullig (deviating from the norm) · cmn 古怪 (deviating from the norm) · ko 별나다 (deviating from the norm) · gl excéntrico (having a different center) · gl excéntrico (not at or in the centre) · ca excèntric (deviating from the norm) · fr excentrique (not at or in the centre) · it eccentrico (not at or in the centre) · gl excéntrico (deviating from the norm) · hu hóbortos (deviating from the norm) · fr excentrique (deviating from the norm) · fi eksentrinen (not perfectly circular) · mi hārakiraki (deviating from the norm) · sh neuravnotežen (deviating from the norm) · de elliptisch (not perfectly circular) · pl ekscentryczny (deviating from the norm) · da excentrisk (not at or in the centre) · de exzentrisch (not perfectly circular) · es venático (deviating from the norm) · de eiernd (not perfectly circular) · sh ekscentričan (deviating from the norm) · ca excèntric (not perfectly circular) · ru эксцентри́чный (deviating from the norm) · sh ексцентричан (deviating from the norm) · de exzentrisch (not at or in the centre) · nl excentrisch (not at or in the centre) · es excéntrico (deviating from the norm)