eccentric

Behaving or doing things in an unusual, slightly strange way.

• My uncle is rather eccentric.
• She has some eccentric ideas about food.
• His eccentric habits amused his neighbors.

Similar words: odd, unconventional, quirky

Opposites: conventional

Common phrases: an eccentric person, eccentric behavior, eccentric habits

Having an oval shape rather than being a perfect circle.

• The comet follows an eccentric orbit.
• Its eccentric path brings it close to the sun.
• Some moons have highly eccentric orbits.

Similar words: elliptical

Opposites: circular

Common phrases: an eccentric orbit, a highly eccentric orbit, an eccentric path

Placed away from the center of something.

• The wheel has an eccentric hole.
• An eccentric shaft makes the plate move sideways.
• The disk's eccentric position causes uneven rotation.

Similar words: off-center

Opposites: central

Common phrases: an eccentric shaft, an eccentric position, an eccentric hole

A person whose habits or behavior are unusual and slightly strange.

• Everyone knew him as an eccentric.
• A local eccentric built a house from bottles.
• The club attracted artists and eccentrics.

Similar words: oddity, oddball

Common phrases: a local eccentric, a harmless eccentric, a wealthy eccentric

A circle whose center is different from the center of another circle.

• Draw an eccentric inside the larger circle.
• The diagram shows an eccentric with a different center.
• These eccentrics have equal radii but different centers.

Common phrases: an inner eccentric, draw an eccentric, an eccentric circle