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oddity

oddities

An oddity is anything strange or unusual. Wearing ear muffs during a heat wave would be considered an oddity, because most people wouldn't do that.

Anything odd is weird, strange, unusual, or bizarre. Oddities are things like that. Calling good friends "sir" would be an oddity, since that word is usually used in formal situations. Oddities can also be objects, especially unusual objects or souvenirs someone might collect.

Definitions of oddity
  1. noun
    eccentricity that is not easily explained
    synonyms: oddness
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    type of:
    eccentricity
    strange and unconventional behavior
  2. noun
    a strange attitude or habit
    synonyms: crotchet, queerness, quirk, quirkiness
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    types:
    tic
    a usually unconscious habit or quirk of speech or behavior
    type of:
    strangeness, unfamiliarity
    unusualness as a consequence of not being well known
  3. noun
    something unusual — perhaps worthy of collecting
    synonyms: curio, curiosity, oddment, peculiarity, rarity
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    types:
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    bric-a-brac, knickknack, knickknackery, nicknack, whatnot
    miscellaneous curios
    collectable, collectible
    things considered to be worth collecting (not necessarily valuable or antique)
    collector's item, piece de resistance, showpiece
    the outstanding item (the prize piece or main exhibit) in a collection
    chachka, tchotchke, tsatske, tshatshke
    (Yiddish) an inexpensive showy trinket
    rariora
    (plural) rare collector's items
    type of:
    object, physical object
    a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘oddity'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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