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Those whose quirk is to zig while others zag (and conversely those who zag while others zig) will appreciate the origins of today’s word. Not its etymological origins, mind you—no one knows whence quirk came—but the twists and turns of its meanings across the centuries. The oldest known use of quirk dates to the mid-1500s, and referred to a clever verbal dodge of the kind one might use to turn the tables on someone in an argument or debate. It didn’t take long for quirk’s meaning to expand to cover all kinds of twisty, turn-y things, from witty retorts and curlicue flourishes made with ink on paper to the vagaries or twists of fate. The sense of quirk meaning “a peculiarity of action or behavior” refers to a twist of sorts as well, insofar as our quirks often flip others’ expectations of us, perhaps even causing them to quirk their eyebrows now and again. In a surprising twist, quirk began to be used as a verb meaning “to curve or twist” in the late 1800s.
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Examples of quirk in a Sentence
Kelsey Mulvey, Sunset Magazine, 31 Oct. 2024
Ironically, both the Rams and Buffs somehow managed to miss the two best teams in their respective leagues thanks to a quirk of the scheduling gods.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 26 Oct. 2024
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 27 Apr. 2023
Working from home: The fun quirks couples learn about each other Look and sound more professional Mind your manners in online meetings by following these tips For video meetings, the eyes have it.
—Brett Molina, USA TODAY, 4 June 2020
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Cite this Entry
“Quirk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quirk. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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