eccentric

/ɪkˈsɛntɹɪk/

//ɪkˈsɛntɹɪk// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"eccentric" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“eccentric” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #13,331 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#13,331
frequency rank, English
9
letters
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Not at or in the centre; away from the centre.

Key facts for eccentric
PropertyValue
Headwordeccentric
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ɪkˈsɛntɹɪk/
Letters9
Frequency rank#13,331
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “eccentric” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). eccentric lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for eccentric is 9 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪkˈsɛntɹɪk/. Corpus data places it at rank #13,331 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for eccentric, with forms such as "cecentric", "eccenntric", and "eccenrtic". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: 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. The correct English form is eccentric, spelled E-C-C-E-N-T-R-I-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    Not at or in the centre; away from the centre.
  2. 2
    Not perfectly circular; elliptical.
  3. 3
    Having a different center; not concentric.
  4. 4
    Deviating from the norm; behaving unexpectedly or differently; unconventional and slightly strange.
  5. 5
    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).
  6. 6
    Having different goals or motives.
  7. 7
    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.

Etymology

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.

Synonyms

eccentricalexcentricaleccentricalexcentricaleccentricalexcentricaleccentricalexcentricaloddabnormaleccentricalexcentricalaberrantanomalousbalmybarmybizarrecrackpotcrankyeccentricerraticextraordinaryfar-outfreakishheterocliteidiocentricidiosyncraticirregularkookishkookynutbaroddballishoff-centreoutlandishoutrépeculiarpixilatedqueerquirkyquizzyspacysquirrellyuncommonwackyweirdwhimsicalwhimsomewiftyWodehousianWonkaesque

Antonyms

concentricconsistentconventionalmainstreamnormalordinaryuneccentric

This word in other languages

excéntrico(Español)excentrique(Français)exzentrisch(Deutsch)excêntrico(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cecentric,eccenntric,eccenrtic,eccentirc,eccentrci,eccentricc,eccentrric,eccenttric,eccetnric,eccnetric,ececntric,ecentric

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of eccentric - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

cecentric2eccenntric1eccenrtic2eccentirc2eccentrci2eccentricc1eccentrric1eccenttric1
Edit distance from "eccentric"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "eccentric"?
"eccentric" is spelled E-C-C-E-N-T-R-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪkˈsɛntɹɪk/.
What does "eccentric" mean?
As an adjective, "eccentric" means: Not at or in the centre; away from the centre.
What are common misspellings of "eccentric"?
Common misspellings include "cecentric", "eccenntric", "eccenrtic", "eccentirc", "eccentrci". The correct spelling is "eccentric".
How do you pronounce "eccentric"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "eccentric" is /ɪkˈsɛntɹɪk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "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. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “eccentric”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-C-C-E-N-T-R-I-C - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪkˈsɛntɹɪk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list