quirky
Americanadjective
Usage
What does quirky mean? Quirky describes something that has or is full of quirks, which are odd or unusual qualities.Usually, a person is described as quirky when they behave in a way or have qualities that are unique to them or that set them apart from others. Things are described as quirky when they have odd qualities. A quirky house, for example, might be painted fluorescent colors or have an odd shape.Examples:
- Because Janet dyes her hair bright green and wears roller skates more than shoes, people think of her as quirky.
- The painting’s irregular shapes and vivid colors give it a quirky feel.
Other Word Forms
- quirkily adverb
- quirkiness noun
Etymology
Origin of quirky
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Weisz has done everything from quirky indie films to prestige drama to high-octane action to Marvel.
From Los Angeles Times
The Cortina Curling Stadium is a quirky wee place.
From BBC
All of that will culminate on Saturday night in the quirky Cortina Curling Stadium, first built as an open-air venue to host the 1956 Games.
From BBC
The nation’s trade deficit fell in 2025 by a meager 0.2% to $901.5 billion, but only due to a large and quirky increase in gold exports tied to U.S. tariff policy.
From MarketWatch
All the quirky jobs at the Winter Olympics!
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
