eccentric
UK[ɪkˈsɛntrɪk]US[ɪkˈsɛntrɪk]
adj
(of a person or their behavior) unconventional and slightly strange.
adj
(of a circle or orbit) not perfectly circular; not having its axis or other part placed centrally.
n
a person of unconventional and slightly strange views or behavior.
Morpheme Breakdown
ec
centr
ic
ec
out of
centr
center
ic
adjective suffix
Etymology
The word 'eccentric' originates from the Late Latin 'eccentricus', which was borrowed from the Greek 'ékkentros' (ἔκκεντρος). The Greek term was a compound of 'ek' (out of) and 'kéntron' (center), literally describing something that is "out of the center" or "away from the center." In medieval astronomy, this described planetary orbits that deviated from a perfectly circular path around a central point. This literal, geometric sense of deviating from a central norm evolved metaphorically by the 17th century to describe human behavior that deviates from conventional social norms, capturing the idea of being figuratively "off-center."
Analysis
Structure: ec (out of) + centr (center) + ic (adjective suffix)
- ec: A Latin prefix from Greek 'ek' (ἐκ), meaning "out of" or "away from." It is an assimilated form of 'ex-' used before 'c'.
- centr: From Latin 'centrum', meaning "center," which itself derives from Greek 'kéntron' (κέντρον), meaning "sharp point, stationary point of a compass."
- ic: A suffix from Latin '-icus' and Greek '-ikos', used to form adjectives meaning "of, pertaining to, or having the nature of."
Examples
His eccentric habit of wearing a cape to the supermarket amused his neighbors.
The planet follows a slightly eccentric orbit around its star.
The old inventor was known as a kindly eccentric who filled his house with strange gadgets.