noun C1 Advanced

quirk

kwurk

Quirk (noun) means an odd or unusual habit, feature, or trait. Example: “One of his quirks is that he always eats dessert first.”

noun

An odd or unusual habit, feature, or trait.

"One of his quirks is that he always eats dessert first."

"The old house has plenty of quirks, like a door that only opens halfway."

verb

To twist or move suddenly in an unusual way.

"She quirked an eyebrow, unconvinced by his excuse."

How to use quirk

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA small, unusual habit or feature that sets someone or something apart.

Common pairings

a quirk of fate personality quirk quirk an eyebrow

Word forms

quirked past tense, quirks plural, quirks singular

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Can you complete this real example?

One of his _____ is that he always eats dessert first.

Etymology

First attested in the 1540s. Of uncertain origin. Possibly from Middle English *querk, from Old Norse kverk (“a bend or angle, especially below a cross-beam or below the chin, the bight of an axe", also "throat, gullet”), from Proto-Germanic *kwerkō (“throat, gullet”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷerh₃- (“to devour; maw”). Cognate with Scots querk (“throat", also "any hollow in the body, such as an armpit, groin, instep, etc.”), Icelandic kverk (“interior angle”). Also partially from dialectal quirk, querk (“a whim, fancy, fuss, huff, complaint", also "to peevishly grumble, grunt, sigh, croak, die”), from Middle English querken, *quirken (“to choke”), from Old Norse kvirkja (“to choke, strangle”), from the same origin above. Related to dialectal querken, quirken (“to choke”). Likely not related to queer.

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

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oddity crotchet queerness quirkiness

Related words

freak curiosity anomaly whim crotchet oddity queerness quirkiness

Frequently asked questions

What does “quirk” mean?

The word “quirk” means an odd or unusual habit, feature, or trait. In plain terms, a small, unusual habit or feature that sets someone or something apart.

How do you pronounce “quirk”?

“Quirk” is pronounced kwurk (/kwɝk/ in IPA).

How do you use “quirk” in a sentence?

Here is “quirk” used in a sentence: “One of his quirks is that he always eats dessert first.”

What part of speech is “quirk”?

Depending on how it is used, “quirk” can be a noun and a verb.

How many meanings does “quirk” have?

“Quirk” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an odd or unusual habit, feature, or trait.

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