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Where does the word "eccentric" come from? It comes from Greek ekkentros, and was adopted directly into English (1500s).
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Where does the word "eccentric" come from? It comes from Greek ekkentros, and was adopted directly into English (1500s).
Eccentric’s story begins in Greek: ekkentros meant “away from the center.” Literally out of center, from ek (out of) and kentron (center). It reached English by 1500s as eccentric. Broadened from geometry to describe unconventional people. Today, eccentric means unconventional or slightly odd in behavior or appearance.
- Stage 1 · Greek · ancient ekkentros "away from the center", literally out of center, from ek (out of) and kentron (center).
- Stage 2 · English · 1500s eccentric "unconventional or odd in behavior", broadened from geometry to describe unconventional people.