Excentrics

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals displaying unconventional behavior or thinking; objects or parts that are deliberately placed off-center or away from a central point; devices or mechanisms designed with axes that do not align with the center to create rotational motion variations
2. People characterized by odd or unusual habits or opinions; components purposely located away from a central alignment; mechanical elements whose rotation occurs around a non-central axis to produce irregular movement
3. Persons known for their atypical actions or peculiar traits; items shifted from the middle or central position; machinery parts with an off-center pivot used to generate uneven turning or motion

Etymology: "Excentrics" is the plural of "excentric," a noun for people with quirks. The plural form simply follows the noun it modifies, so the history belongs to the singular. "Excentric" is formed from the prefix "ex-," meaning "out of" or "away from," and "-centric," meaning "centred" or "having a centre." Together they describe something that lies away from the centre, in the way an off-centre wheel wobbles or an orbit departs from a circle. The sense of deviating from the usual or the expected grew naturally out of that spatial picture, which is why a person who strays from ordinary conduct came to be called "excentric."

Synonyms: eccentrics, nonconformists, individualists, quirks, oddities

Antonyms: conformists, normal, conventionals, conservatives