Idiosyncrasy

noun (countable; plural: idiosyncrasies)

/ˌɪd.i.əˈsɪŋ.krə.si/

A mode of behaviour, habit, or characteristic peculiar to a particular individual or group; a distinctive or structural peculiarity in the way something is constituted or operates.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

Sound institutional design must not hinge on the idiosyncrasies of a charismatic administrator, for governance founded on personal temperament rather than codified procedure rarely survives the departure of the individual who animated it.

Synonyms

peculiarityquirkeccentricitymannerismfoibletrait

Antonyms

conformitynormalityconventionalityregularity

🌱 Word Family

idiosyncratic (adj), idiosyncratically (adv), idiosyncrasies (n pl)

🔡 Root

Greek idios = one's own; syn = together, with; krasis = mixture, blend; idiosynkrasia = peculiar temperament

📜 Etymology

From Greek idiosynkrasia 'a peculiar temperament', from idios 'one's own' + syn 'together, with' + krasis 'mixture, blend' (originally the blending of the four bodily humours).

🧠 Memory Hook

"IDIO-" (as in idiot/idiom = one's OWN) + "SYNCRASY" (a SYNcing/blend) — your own peculiar blend of quirks. Think: an idiom is a language's own quirk; an idiosyncrasy is a person's own quirk.

👥 Society 📖 Seen in: Salient Features of Indian Society — D...

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