idiosyncrasy
(ɪdɪəʊˈsɪŋkrəsɪ)
Also 7 idiosygcrasye, 7–8 -syncrasie, 7–9 (erron.) -cracy.
[ad. Gr. ἰδιοσυγκρᾱσία, also -σύγκρᾱσις, f. ἰδιο- idio- + σύγκρᾱσις commixture, tempering (σύν together + κρᾶσις mixing, tempering, crasis).]
A peculiarity of constitution or temperament.
1. The physical constitution peculiar to an individual († or class). Now only Med. spec. An individual's hypersensitivity to a drug or other substance which is ingested or inhaled or which otherwise comes into contact with the body.
| 1604 F. Herring Modest Def. 29 The idiosygcrasye or particular Natures (as Galen calleth them) are vnknown. 1650 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. iii. xxviii. (ed. 2) 152 Whether Quailes from any idiosyncracy or peculiarity of constitution, doe innocuously feed upon Hellebore. 1744 Berkeley Siris §87 Something in the idiosyncrasy of the patient that puzzles the physician. 1828 Edin. Rev. XLVII. 39 The special and apparently capricious varieties of digestive power, which the learned call Idiosyncrasy. 1875 H. C. Wood Therap. (1879) 22 Temperaments are peculiarities of organization characterizing classes of individuals; idiosyncrasies, peculiarities belonging to single individuals. 1887 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 20 Aug. 431/1 Dr Daniel Bernouilli, of Basle, reports an instance of idiosyncrasy with respect to antipyrin. 1893 Edin. Med. Jrnl. XXXVIII. 627 No very tenable theory has been put forward to explain the reason of idiosyncrasy to drugs. 1912 Jrnl. Amer. Med. Assoc. 13 Apr. 1088 The view that the peculiar idiosyncrasies, so-called, with respect to certain articles of diet—strawberries, cheese..cow's milk, etc.—are forms of anaphylactic reactions is steadily growing. 1922 Jrnl. Immunol. VII. 128 Peculiar drug reactions, known as idiosyncrasies, were well recognized, but they were not identified as allergies until 1916. 1932 Jrnl. Soc. Chem. Industry 13 May 440/2 Mention was made..of the frequent lack of adequate proof of the supposed irritant action of certain dyes and of the difficulties due to idiosyncrasy. 1971 Lancet 25 Sept. 698/2 Idiosyncrasy to CS has not been reported, and the old and young do not seem to be at exceptional risk. |
2. The mental constitution peculiar to a person or class of persons; individual bent of mind or inclination; a view or feeling, a liking or aversion, peculiar to a single person, race, or nation.
| 1665 Glanvill Scepsis Sci. xiv. 90 The Understanding also hath its Idiosyncrasies, as well as other faculties. 1771 Wesley Wks. (1872) VI. 128 There may be an idiosyncrasy—a peculiarity in your constitution of Soul. 1874 Stubbs Const. Hist. I. iv. 58 The pertinacious idiosyncrasy of the Gallic genius. |
3. A mode of expression peculiar to an author.
| 1837–9 Hallam Hist. Lit. iii. vii. §34 III. 659 The style of Bacon has an idiosyncracy which we might expect from his genius. Ibid. iii. vi. §73 III. 329 The elaborate delineations of Jonson, or the marked idiosyncracies of Shakspeare. 1874 Sayce Compar. Philol. i. 11 We must not..believe that we know a language because we can successfully imitate the idiosyncracies of a few of its literary men. |