different between bizarre vs quixotic

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French bizarre (“odd, peculiar, bizarre, formerly headlong, angry”). Either from Basque bizar (“a beard”) (the notion being that bearded Spanish soldiers made a strange impression on the French), or from Italian bizzarro.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /b??z??(?)/, /b??z??(?)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /b??z??/, /b??z??/
• Homophone: bazaar (weak vowel merger)

Adjective

bizarre (comparative more bizarre or bizarrer, superlative most bizarre or bizarrest)

1. strangely unconventional in style or appearance.

Usage notes

• The compared forms with more and most are predominant. The alternative superlative bizarrest is fairly common, whereas the comparative bizarrer is very rare.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:strange

Translations

Further reading

• bizarre in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• bizarre in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• Brazier, brazier

Danish

Adjective

bizarre

1. definite of bizar
2. plural of bizar

Dutch

Pronunciation

Adjective

bizarre

1. Inflected form of bizar

French

Etymology

From Italian bizzarro.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bi.za?/
• Rhymes: -a?

Adjective

bizarre (plural bizarres)

1. bizarre, odd

   Comme c'est bizarre !

2. peculiar, quaint

Synonyms

• baroque
• étrange
• original
• singulier

Related terms

• bizarrement
• bizarrerie

Further reading

• “bizarre” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• barriez

German

Pronunciation

Adjective

bizarre

1. inflection of bizarr:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Interlingua

Adjective

bizarre (comparative plus bizarre, superlative le plus bizarre)

1. bizarre

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish Quixote, the surname of Don Quixote, the titular character in the novel by Miguel de Cervantes, +? -ic.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /kw?k?s?t?k/
• (US) IPA^(key): /kw?k?s?t?k/, /kw???z?t?k/, /ki??z?t?k/
• (rare) IPA^(key): /ki??t?k/
• Rhymes: -?t?k

Adjective

quixotic (comparative more quixotic, superlative most quixotic)

1. Possessing or acting with the desire to do noble and romantic deeds, without thought of realism and practicality; exceedingly idealistic.
2. Impulsive.
3. Like Don Quixote; romantic to extravagance; absurdly chivalric; apt to be deluded.

Usage notes

Although the term is derived from the name of the character Don Quixote, the letters qu and x are both read as is usual for English spelling (/kw/ and /ks/), possibly due to analogy with exotic. In "Don Quixote", by contrast, the pronunciation more closely resembles the modern Spanish (/k/ and /h~x/).

Derived terms

• quixotically

Translations