idiom
EnglishEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Middle French idiome, and its source, Late Latin idioma, from Ancient Greek ἰδίωμα (idíōma, “a peculiarity, property, a peculiar phraseology, idiom”), from ἰδιοῦσθαι (idioûsthai, “to make one's own, appropriate to oneself”), from ἴδιος (ídios, “one's own, pertaining to oneself, private, personal, peculiar, separate”).
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
idiom (countable and uncountable, plural idioms or idiomata)
- A manner of speaking, a mode of expression peculiar to a language, person, or group of people.
- A language or language variety; specifically, a restricted dialect used in a given historical period, context etc.
- 2010, Christopher Hitchens, "The Other L-Word", Vanity Fair, 13 Jan 2010:
- Many parents and teachers have become irritated to the point of distraction at the way the weed-style growth of "like" has spread through the idiom of the young.
- 2010, Christopher Hitchens, "The Other L-Word", Vanity Fair, 13 Jan 2010:
- An established expression whose meaning is not deducible from the literal meanings of its component words, often peculiar to a given language.
- 2008, Patricia Hampl, “You’re History”, in Patricia Hampl and Elaine Tyler May (editors), Tell Me True: Memoir, History, and Writing a Life, Minnesota Historical Society, →ISBN, page 134:
- You’re history, we say […] . Surely it is an American idiom. Impossible to imagine a postwar European saying, “You’re history. . . . That’s history,” meaning fuhgeddaboudit, pal.
- 2008, Patricia Hampl, “You’re History”, in Patricia Hampl and Elaine Tyler May (editors), Tell Me True: Memoir, History, and Writing a Life, Minnesota Historical Society, →ISBN, page 134:
- An artistic style (for example, in art, architecture, or music); an instance of such a style.
- (programming) A programming construct or phraseology that is characteristic of the language.
- 2005, Magnus Lie Hetland, Beginning Python: From Novice to Professional, →ISBN, page 100:
- I have to use the same assignment and call to raw_input in two places. How can I avoid that? I can use the while True/break idiom: […]
SynonymsEdit
- (language variety): dialect (loosely), vernacular (loosely), language (loosely)
- (phrase): expression (loosely), form of words (loosely), phrase (loosely), locution (loosely)
Derived termsEdit
Derived terms
Related termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
manner of speaking
language variety
idiomatic expression
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distinct style of art, etc
instance of such style
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See alsoEdit
Further readingEdit
- American idioms - a comprehensive list of idioms, browsable through alphabetical links. Includes parts of speech, definitions and example sentences.
- English and American Idioms - RSS subscription channel
- Glossary of Linguistics
- Today's English Idioms at GoEnglish.com
- idiom in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- idiom in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
AnagramsEdit
PolishEdit
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
idiom m inan
- idiom (idiomatic expression)
DeclensionEdit
declension of idiom