Bizarre: Definition, Usage & Common Mistakes

Meaning 1：very strange (bizarre)

bizarre 🔊

/bɪˈzɑːr/

adj.

Very strange and unusual in a way that surprises or shocks you.

Bizarre illustrated by a person in a strange pineapple hat and polka dot suit on a city street.

very strange 🔊

➕

/ˈveri streɪndʒ/

adj.

Describes something that is strikingly unconventional, odd, or unfamiliar to the point of being surprising, shocking, or puzzling.

📁 Category：Fashion Trends 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From French 'bizarre' meaning 'odd, fantastic'; possibly from Spanish 'bizarro' meaning 'brave, gallant'.

💡 Mnemonic

Picture a bizarre bazaar: a market (sounds like bazaar) full of very strange and unusual items for sale.

📖 Example

At the fashion show, one model wore a hat shaped like a giant, upside-down teacup, which looked utterly bizarre. 🔊 At the fashion show, one model wore a hat shaped like a giant, upside-down teacup, which looked utterly very strange.

🔗 Collocations

bizarre behavior – actions that are very strange and difficult to understand

bizarre coincidence – a very strange and unexpected occurrence of events

bizarre twist – a very strange and unexpected change in a story or situation

🔄 Synonyms

strange (adj.) – Unusual or surprising, but often to a lesser degree than bizarre.

weird (adj.) – Suggesting something supernatural or uncanny in its strangeness.

odd (adj.) – Different from what is usual or expected; slightly strange.

🚫 Antonyms

normal (adj.) – Conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected.

ordinary (adj.) – With no special or distinctive features; normal.

conventional (adj.) – Based on or in accordance with what is generally done or believed.

🌱 Derivatives

bizarreness (n.) – The quality of being bizarre; strangeness.

bizarrely (adv.) – In a very strange or unusual manner.

📖 Cultural Story

The word 'bizarre' entered English from French in the 17th century. Its ultimate origin is uncertain, but a leading theory links it to the Spanish 'bizarro', meaning 'brave, gallant', which may have come from the Basque 'bizar', meaning 'beard', symbolizing a brave man. Over time, the meaning shifted from 'gallant' to 'strange, unusual' in French and English.