idiom

Definition

A manner of speaking, a mode of expression peculiar to a language, language family, or group of people.

Etymology

From Middle French idiome, and its source, Late Latin idioma, from Ancient Greek ἰδίωμα (idíōma, “a peculiarity, property, a peculiar phraseology, idiom”), from ἰδιοῦσθαι (idioûsthai, “to make one's own, appropriate to oneself”), from ἴδιος (ídios, “one's own, pertaining to oneself, private, personal, peculiar, separate”). By surface analysis, idi- + -om.

Example Sentences

• "In English, idiom requires the indefinite article in a phrase such as "she's an engineer", whereas in Spanish, idiom forbids it."
• "Some of the usage prescriptions improved clarity and were kept; others that yielded discordant violations of idiom were eventually revised."
• "I have to use the same assignment and call to raw_input in two places. How can I avoid that? I can use the while True/break idiom: […]"

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