adj. & n.
--adj.
1. odd or capricious in behaviour or appearance; whimsical.
2 a not placed, not having its axis etc. placed centrally. b (often foll. by to) (of a circle) not concentric (to another). c (of an orbit) not circular.
--n.
1. an eccentric person.
2 Mech. an eccentric contrivance for changing rotatory into backward-and-forward motion, e.g. the cam used in an internal-combustion engine.
Derivatives:
eccentrically adv. eccentricity n. (pl. -ies).
Etymology: LL eccentricus f. Gk ekkentros f. ek out of + kentros CENTRE