eccentric
Behaving in an odd but usually harmless way.
eccentric in a sentence
- Our eccentric neighbour wears a top hat to walk his cat and sings opera to his tomatoes.
- The eccentric inventor built a machine to butter toast, using bicycle wheels and seventeen spoons.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to eccentric?
- Aordinary
- Bnormal
- Cplain
- Dodd
Show the answer
D: odd. The other three mean the opposite of eccentric.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to eccentric?
- Astrange
- Bodd
- Cnormal
- Dquirky
Show the answer
C: normal. The other three mean nearly the same as eccentric.
Words that mean something similar
odd, quirky, strange
Words that mean the opposite
normal, ordinary, plain
More words about character & personality
- eminent: Famous and highly respected.
- enterprise: The courage and energy to start new and difficult projects.
- ferocious: Fierce, wild and violent.
- fickle: Changing your mind often about what you like or want.
- fierce: Very aggressive, strong or wild.
- foe: An enemy, someone who is against you.
- formidable: So powerful or impressive that it makes people nervous.
- gallant: Brave, noble and polite.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test