eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior.
the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers
erratic stresses a capricious and unpredictable wandering or deviating.
a friend's suddenly erratic behavior
odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected.
an odd sense of humor
quaint suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness.
a quaint fishing village
outlandish applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric.
outlandish fashions of the time
Example Sentences
A lot can change in 25 years, and Yountville has gone from an also-ran on the Napa food-and-wine tourism scene to the focus of activity. The quaint bed and breakfasts of yesterday have been replaced by upscale hotels and inns, and the village has become a mecca for top chefs. Tim Fish, Wine Spectator, 15 June 2008Therefore, when the federal Constitutional Convention decided in 1787 that U.S. senators would be appointed by state legislatures rather than elected by the people at large, the drafters were actually placing the choice of U.S. senators in the control of state leaders who had met their states' highest qualifications for property and religion. Today, these property and religious qualifications are likely to strike us as quaint historical oddities. Richard N. Rosenfeld, Harper's, May 2004Five minutes by ferry from the bustling concrete depths of Wall Street sits what could be a quaint New England town: stately, collegiate buildings framed by tree-lined walkways where the wind rustles through aging oak trees. Andrea Elliott, New York Times, 25 July 2003 The fishing village was very quaint. The writer talks about the quaint customs of the natives.
Recent Examples on the WebCBS Television City, the quaint Original Farmer’s Market and the luxury of the Grove are among sights. Stefanie Dazio, Time, 31 May 2020 The quaint normalcy of that simple exchange nearly brought me to tears. Mark Kurlyandchik, Detroit Free Press, 26 May 2020 No more elbow-to-elbow shopping in the quaint store or noshing on barbecue in a rocking chair under the pavilion ― at least for now. Kim Pierce, Dallas News, 13 May 2020 On April 27, Martinez and Gonzalez decided to get married in a quaint courthouse ceremony. Emilie Eaton, ExpressNews.com, 10 May 2020 Plus, Palacios offers quaint local shops and restaurants.Houston Chronicle, 9 May 2020 Sultan, a pita bread factory and quaint pastry shop on an otherwise bare stretch of Stockton Avenue, is known for its variety of Middle Eastern sweets. Soleil Ho, SFChronicle.com, 27 Feb. 2020 The story centers Cassie, a med school dropout who lives with her parents and works at a quaint coffee shop. Joi Childs, Teen Vogue, 30 Jan. 2020 Fiona, a New York City real estate broker retreats to her family’s quaint Vermont inn after being dumped by her boyfriend, Nate When Nate shows up at the inn with a new girlfriend, Fiona devises a plan to win him back.Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2019 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English queinte, cointe, from Anglo-French, clever, expert, from Latin cognitus, past participle of cognoscere to know — more at cognition