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Foible vs Eccentricity - What's the difference?

foible | eccentricity |

As nouns the difference between foible and eccentricity

is that foible is a quirk, idiosyncrasy, or mannerism; unusual habit or way (usage is typically plural), that is slightly strange or silly while eccentricity is the quality of being eccentric; any eccentric behaviour.

As an adjective foible

is weak; feeble.

foible

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Weak; feeble.
  • (Lord Herbert)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A quirk, idiosyncrasy, or mannerism; unusual habit or way (usage is typically plural), that is slightly strange or silly.
  • Try to look past his foibles and see the friendly fellow underneath.
  • * 1915 ,
  • They made up for the respect with which unconsciously they treated him by laughing at his foibles and lamenting his vices.
  • * 1959 , Meriden Record, " An ounce of prevention", July 24 issue
  • Final fillip in the Vice-President's study has been a boning up]] on Premier Khrushchev's favorite foible , proverbs. The bibulous Russian leader likes to throw out homely [[homily, homilies in his speeches and conversations..
  • (fencing) Part of a sword between the middle and the point, weaker than the forte.
  • A weakness or failing of character.
  • * 1932 , , by William Floyd
  • Jesus is reverenced as the one man who has lived unspotted by the world, free from human foibles , able to redeem mankind by his example.

    Synonyms

    * (a weakness or failing of character) fault

    eccentricity

    Noun

    (eccentricities)
  • The quality of being eccentric; any eccentric behaviour.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=5 , passage=Although the Celebrity was almost impervious to sarcasm, he was now beginning to exhibit visible signs of uneasiness, the consciousness dawning upon him that his eccentricity was not receiving the ovation it merited.}}
  • (mathematics) The ratio, constant for any particular conic section, of the distance of a point from the focus to its distance from the directrix.