eclectic









eclectic


< /ɪˈklɛk tə sɪst/. a person who follows an eclectic method, as in philosophy or architecture.

adjective

  1. (in art, philosophy, etc) selecting what seems best from various styles, doctrines, ideas, methods, etc
  2. composed of elements drawn from a variety of sources, styles, etc

noun

  1. a person who favours an eclectic approach, esp in art or philosophy
adj.

1680s, originally in reference to a group of ancient philosophers who selected doctrines from every system; from French eclectique (1650s), from Greek eklektikos “selective,” literally “picking out,” from eklektos “selected,” from eklegein “pick out, select,” from ek “out” (see ex-) + legein “gather, choose” (see lecture (n.)). Broader sense of “borrowed from diverse sources” is first recorded 1847. As a noun from 1817.

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