noun
crotchet
An eccentric personal idea or habit.
One of his crotchets is arranging every book by color.
Etymology
The older word means a small hook. The figurative sense imagines an odd notion as something that catches or takes hold in a person’s mind.
More examples
- She indulges her grandfather's crotchet about eating dinner at precisely six.
- His latest crotchet is that all meetings should be held outdoors.
- We accept her little crotchets as part of her charm.
Forms
crotchet · crotchets
Similar words
- quirk
- Often describes a harmless peculiarity rather than a stubborn notion.
- eccentricity
- Covers unusual behavior or traits, not just personal notions.
- whim
- Usually a passing desire rather than an established personal habit.