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Eclectic Has a Philosophical History
Eclectic comes from the Greek adjective eklektikos, meaning “picking out, selecting what appears to be best,” which in turn comes from the verb eklegein, meaning “to select.” Eclectic was originally applied to ancient philosophers who were not committed to any single system of philosophy but instead selected whichever doctrines pleased them from every school of thought. Later, the word’s use broadened to cover other selective natures, as well as the use of elements drawn from different sources. For instance, a museum with an eclectic collection may showcase pieces from a variety of styles and periods and in different media. Similarly, a person may be said to have eclectic tastes if they enjoy a broad range, rather than a single genre, of film, music, literature, etc.
Synonyms
Examples of eclectic in a Sentence
Stephen C. Sautner, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2000
Her witty, mordant and splendidly vinegary observations were informed by broad and eclectic reading.
—George F. Will, Newsweek, 24 May 1999
The polo crowd is eclectic and dangerously hagridden with narcissism and treachery, and that is the way they like it.
—Hunter S. Thompson, Rolling Stone, 15 Dec. 1994
… big wheels of country bread and eclectic selections of pâtés, hams, cheeses, honey and all sorts of homemade cookies and sweets.
—Per-Henrik Mansson, Wine Spectator, 28 Feb. 1993
The collection includes an eclectic mix of historical artifacts.
the museum's eclectic collection has everything from a giraffe skeleton to medieval musical instruments
Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024
Its supersoft texture will help keep the winter chill out, while the eclectic print gives it a vintage vibe.
—Jessica Kasparian, SELF, 5 Nov. 2024
Ken Van Vechten, latimes.com, 21 Dec. 2017
By allying himself with the eclectics, Lloyd was ostracized by regular pharmacists.
—Jeff Suess, Cincinnati.com, 27 Oct. 2017
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Dictionary Entries Near eclectic
Cite this Entry
“Eclectic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eclectic. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
eclectic
1 of 2 adjective
eclectic
2 of 2 noun
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