
< /ɪˈklɛk tə sɪst/. a person who follows an eclectic method, as in philosophy or architecture.
adjective
- (in art, philosophy, etc) selecting what seems best from various styles, doctrines, ideas, methods, etc
- composed of elements drawn from a variety of sources, styles, etc
noun
- a person who favours an eclectic approach, esp in art or philosophy
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.