idiosyncrasy
/ˌɪdɪəʊˈsɪŋkɹəsi/
"idiosyncrasy" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“idiosyncrasy” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 12
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A behavior or way of thinking that is characteristic of a person or a group.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | idiosyncrasy |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˌɪdɪəʊˈsɪŋkɹəsi/ |
| Letters | 12 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “idiosyncrasy” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for idiosyncrasy is 12 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɪdɪəʊˈsɪŋkɹəsi/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for idiosyncrasy, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in 1604, in modern sense since 1665, from Ancient Greek ἰδιοσυγκρασία (idiosunkrasía, “one’s own temperament”), from ἴδιος (ídios, “one’s own”) + σύν (sún, “together”) + κρᾶσις (krâsis, “temperament”). By surface analysis, idio- + syn- + -crasy. The correct English form is idiosyncrasy, spelled I-D-I-O-S-Y-N-C-R-A-S-Y.
Definition
- 1A behavior or way of thinking that is characteristic of a person or a group.
- 2A peculiar individual reaction to a generally innocuous substance or factor; a risk factor.
- 3A peculiarity that serves to distinguish or identify.
Etymology
First attested in 1604, in modern sense since 1665, from Ancient Greek ἰδιοσυγκρασία (idiosunkrasía, “one’s own temperament”), from ἴδιος (ídios, “one’s own”) + σύν (sún, “together”) + κρᾶσις (krâsis, “temperament”). By surface analysis, idio- + syn- + -crasy.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "idiosyncrasy"?
What does "idiosyncrasy" mean?
How do you pronounce "idiosyncrasy"?
What is the origin of the word "idiosyncrasy"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “idiosyncrasy”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is I-D-I-O-S-Y-N-C-R-A-S-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˌɪdɪəʊˈsɪŋkɹəsi/ (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.