DictionaryAI

bizarre

bi-ZAHR/bɪˈzɑɹ/bi-ZAH/bɪˈzɑː(ɹ)/

2 meanings of bizarre

Practice

  1. 1
    adjective
    Strikingly unconventional and highly unusual, often in an extravagant or eye-catching way.

    The artist's bizarre sculptures combined machine parts with living plants.

    His behavior at the meeting grew increasingly bizarre as the night wore on.

    UsageCompare it with more and most: more bizarre, most bizarre. Bizarrer and bizarrest also occur.

    Similarstrange, weird, odd, peculiar, outlandish

    Oppositenormal, ordinary, conventional

    Note

    Mark Twain, Bram Stoker and Joseph Conrad used it for the incongruous, the uncanny and the exotic. It compares either way: more bizarre and most bizarre, or bizarrer and bizarrest.

Less common meaning

  1. 2
    noundated
    A carnation whose white petals are striped with two distinct colors.

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Origin

Borrowed from French "bizarre" (odd, peculiar), which formerly meant headlong or angry. It probably comes from Italian "bizzarro."

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

  • English borrowed the word from French bizarre, meaning odd or peculiar and formerly headlong or angry. en.wiktionary.org
  • Basque bizar means beard. en.wiktionary.org
  • The Basque derivation is rejected by specialist R. L. Trask, who identifies Italian as the source. The soldiers explanation should be removed with that derivation. sussex.ac.uk
  • French bizarre derives from Italian bizzarro. en.wiktionary.org