Word of the Day : July 7, 2018

eccentric \ik-SEN-trik\ adjective

Definition

1 a : deviating from conventional or accepted usage or conduct especially in odd or whimsical ways

b : deviating from an established or usual pattern or style

2 a : deviating from a circular path; especially : elliptical

b : located elsewhere than at the geometric center; also : having the axis or support so located

Did You Know?

Eccentric comes to us through Middle English from the Medieval Latin word eccentricus, but it is ultimately derived from a combination of the Greek words ex, meaning "out of," and kentron, meaning "center." The original meaning of eccentric in English was "not having the same center" (as in "eccentric spheres"). In this sense, it contrasts with concentric, meaning "having a common center" (as in "concentric circles," one within another). But since the 17th century, English speakers have also used eccentric to describe those who are figuratively off-center. It can also be used to describe something that doesn't follow a truly circular path, as in "an eccentric orbit."

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                                  a second mother-in-law
                                  a week and a day
                                  the space between a bed and the wall
                                  a pillow for one’s elbow








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Aired July 7, 2018

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