What is the meaning of idiom?
The meaning of idiom is a figurative expression, often irregular in style, that is particular to a language or region.
Idiom
Last Updated on February 25, 2021, by eNotes Editorial. Word Count: 133
Idiom - the language, dialect, or style of speaking peculiar to a people or the constructions or expressions of one language whose structure is not matched in another language. Idioms often possess a meaning other than their grammatical or logical ones and cannot be directly translated into another language. It...
(The entire section contains 133 words.)
Unlock This Study Guide Now
Start your 48-hour free trial to unlock this Guide to Literary Terms study guide. You'll get access to all of the Guide to Literary Terms content, as well as access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts.
- Introduction
- Complete Index
Already a member? Log in here.
Idiom - the language, dialect, or style of speaking peculiar to a people or the constructions or expressions of one language whose structure is not matched in another language. Idioms often possess a meaning other than their grammatical or logical ones and cannot be directly translated into another language. It also is used to describe something peculiar to an individual.
The word comes from the Greek idioma, meaning “a peculiarity in language” which was derived from idio, and omai, together meaning “make one’s own.”
In the original Greek, the word was used to mean either a private citizen or something belonging to a private citizen, hence, personal.
Some examples in English are “no wonder,” “better late than never,” “to lead by the nose,” and “spick and span.”
see: colloquialism
Explore all literary terms.
