idiosyncratic

/ˌɪd.i.əʊ.sɪŋˈkɹæt.ɪk/

//ˌɪd.i.əʊ.sɪŋˈkɹæt.ɪk// adj

"idiosyncratic" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“idiosyncratic” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #31,216 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#31,216
frequency rank, English
13
letters
20
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Peculiar to a specific individual; eccentric.

Key facts for idiosyncratic
PropertyValue
Headwordidiosyncratic
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌɪd.i.əʊ.sɪŋˈkɹæt.ɪk/
Letters13
Frequency rank#31,216
Misspellings tracked20
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “idiosyncratic” 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). idiosyncratic 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 idiosyncratic is 13 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɪd.i.əʊ.sɪŋˈkɹæt.ɪk/. Corpus data places it at rank #31,216 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "Peculiar to a specific individual; eccentric.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 20 likely wrong-spelling variants for idiosyncratic, with forms such as "diiosyncratic", "iddiosyncratic", and "idiosnycratic". 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. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From idiosyncrasy + -ic. By surface analysis, idio- + syn- + -cratic. The correct English form is idiosyncratic, spelled I-D-I-O-S-Y-N-C-R-A-T-I-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    Peculiar to a specific individual; eccentric.

Etymology

From idiosyncrasy + -ic. By surface analysis, idio- + syn- + -cratic.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: diiosyncratic,iddiosyncratic,idiosnycratic,idiossyncratic,idiosycnratic,idiosyncartic,idiosynccratic,idiosyncraitc,idiosyncratci,idiosyncraticc,idiosyncrattic,idiosyncrratic,idiosyncrtaic,idiosynncratic,idiosynrcatic,idiosyyncratic,idioysncratic,idisoyncratic,idoisyncratic,iidosyncratic

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of idiosyncratic - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

diiosyncratic2iddiosyncratic1idiosnycratic2idiossyncratic1idiosycnratic2idiosyncartic2idiosynccratic1idiosyncraitc2
Edit distance from "idiosyncratic"

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 "idiosyncratic"?
"idiosyncratic" is spelled I-D-I-O-S-Y-N-C-R-A-T-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɪd.i.əʊ.sɪŋˈkɹæt.ɪk/.
What does "idiosyncratic" mean?
As an adjective, "idiosyncratic" means: Peculiar to a specific individual; eccentric.
What are common misspellings of "idiosyncratic"?
Common misspellings include "diiosyncratic", "iddiosyncratic", "idiosnycratic", "idiossyncratic", "idiosycnratic". The correct spelling is "idiosyncratic".
How do you pronounce "idiosyncratic"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "idiosyncratic" is /ˌɪd.i.əʊ.sɪŋˈkɹæt.ɪk/. 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 "idiosyncratic"?
From idiosyncrasy + -ic. By surface analysis, idio- + syn- + -cratic. 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 “idiosyncratic”

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-T-I-C - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌɪd.i.əʊ.sɪŋˈkɹæt.ɪk/ (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