Oddball

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɑːdˌbɔl/

Definitions

1. A person whose behavior, interests, or appearance differs notably from what is considered normal or conventional in society
2. An individual who displays eccentric traits or unconventional habits that set them apart from societal norms and typical behavior patterns
3. A person characterized by activities or interests that diverge significantly from those commonly accepted, often leading to a unique identity

Etymology: The noun "oddball" is a plain compound of "odd" and "ball," and its origin sits in the games parlors of the 1930s rather than in any classical language. The earliest known use describes an extra ball awarded as a bonus in pinball-style games, a machine-era sense that is easy to picture: a stray, unplanned ball that turns up outside the normal scoring. From there the word moved sideways to describe something, and then someone, that falls outside the expected pattern. The adjective "odd" was already in use well before that, so the word was built from familiar parts. The adjective form of "oddball" appeared before the noun did, which suggests people first described things as oddball before they used the word for a person.

Synonyms: eccentric, weirdo, misfit, outlier, nonconformist

Antonyms: conformist, normal