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Idiosyncrasy vs Zany - What's the difference?

idiosyncrasy | zany |

As nouns the difference between idiosyncrasy and zany

is that idiosyncrasy is a behavior or way of thinking that is characteristic of a person while zany is (obsolete) a fool or clown especially one whose business on the stage was to imitate foolishly the actions of the principal clown.

As an adjective zany is

unusual and bizarre in a funny, comical way; outlandish; clownish.

idiosyncrasy

Noun

(idiosyncrasies)
  • A behavior or way of thinking that is characteristic of a person.
  • A language or behaviour that is particular to an individual or group.
  • (medicine) A peculiar individual reaction to a generally innocuous substance or factor.
  • A peculiarity that serves to distinguish or identify.
  • He mastered the idiosyncrasies of English spelling.

    Synonyms

    * eccentricity * foible * habit * mannerism * oddity * quirk * vagary

    Derived terms

    (derived terms) * idiosyncratic * idiosyncratically

    See also

    * eccentricity * habit * peculiarity * speciality * specialness * specialty * trait

    References

    * *

    zany

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • unusual and bizarre in a funny, comical way; outlandish; clownish
  • ludicrously or incongruously comical
  • Synonyms

    * wacky

    Derived terms

    * zaniness

    Noun

    (zanies)
  • (obsolete) A fool or clown. Especially one whose business on the stage was to imitate foolishly the actions of the principal clown
  • * John Donne
  • Then write that I may follow, and so be / Thy echo, thy debtor, thy foil, thy zany .
  • * Alexander Pope
  • Preacher at once, and zany of thy age.
  • * 1898 , , (Moonfleet) Chapter 4
  • So there he caught me lying like a zany on the ground. You may guess I stood at attention soon enough, but told him I was looking at the founds to see if they wanted underpinning from the floods.

    References

    * 1949', John Dover Wilson (compiler), ' Life in Shakespeare's England. A Book of Elizabethan Prose , Cambridge at the University Press. 1st ed. 1911, 2nd ed. 1913, 8th reprint. In Glossary and Notes