idiom

nounmanner of speaking, turn of phrase

Synonyms for idiom

noun manner of speaking, turn of phrase

Antonyms for idiom

Word Origin & History

1580s, "form of speech peculiar to a people or place," from Middle French idiome (16c.) and directly from Late Latin idioma "a peculiarity in language," from Greek idioma "peculiarity, peculiar phraseology," from idioumai "to appropriate to oneself," from idios "personal, private," properly "particular to oneself," from PIE *swed-yo-, suffixed form of root *s(w)e-, pronoun of the third person and reflexive (referring back to the subject of a sentence), also used in forms denoting the speaker's social group, "(we our-)selves" (cf. Sanskrit svah, Avestan hva-, Old Persian huva "one's own," khva-data "lord," literally "created from oneself;" Greek hos "he, she, it;" Latin suescere "to accustom, get accustomed," sodalis "companion;" Old Church Slavonic svoji "his, her, its," svojaku "relative, kinsman;" Gothic swes "one's own;" Old Norse sik "oneself;" German Sein; Old Irish fein "self, himself"). Meaning "phrase or expression peculiar to a language" is from 1620s.

Example Sentences for idiom

"Your idiom is too much for him, old man," said Holden quietly.

The idiom and traditions of the ancient inhabitants were there preserved.

Barny thus sheltered his falsehood under the idiom of his language.

The occasional use of the imperfect is almost his only Gaelic idiom.

(in English idiom, 'smoking tobacco') was the unhesitating answer.

But this second idiom was no more intelligible than the first.

I am wondering in what Idiom you will one day answer my last.

They remain in the structure of the street and the idiom of the language.

He is more grateful for my report than the English idiom will express.

And he it was who attempted to learn the idiom spoken by Carefinotu.

idiom

Synonyms for idiom

Antonyms for idiom

cant

dialect

dialects

expression

expressions

idiom

Synonyms for idiom

Antonyms for idiom

More words related to idiom

argot

cant

dialect

dialects

expression

expressions