Freakazoid

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈfɹiːkəzɔɪd/

Definitions

1. A unique individual displaying strange or unconventional behavior that can be entertaining in nature
2. A person characterized by eccentric traits and peculiar habits that tend to attract attention or amusement
3. An individual who exhibits markedly strange or atypical conduct that stands out in a crowd

Etymology: "Freakazoid" is a playful blend built from "freak" with two extra pieces stuck on the end. The middle syllable "-a-" acts as a linking vowel, the sort of connector used to join word parts comfortably, while "-zoid" is the familiar ending that turns a noun into something with a jokey, sci-fi flavour. Its appeal comes from that ending: "-oid" in English usually means "resembling" or "of the form of," as in "android" or "humanoid," so tacking it onto a word for an oddball suggests someone who looks like a freak in a robotic or alien sort of way. The "-zoid" spelling comes from the same family of words that the "-oid" suffix belongs to, and the "z" was added to give the playful, slightly spacey sound that the coinage is after. The result is a word that sounds like a character from a comic or cartoon, which suits its meaning: a person whose behaviour is strange enough to stand out in any crowd.