idiomatic

Also id·i·o·mat·i·cal

[id-ee-uh-mat-ik]

adjective

1. peculiar to or characteristic of a particular language or dialect.

   idiomatic French.

2. containing or using many idioms.

3. having a distinct style or character, especially in the arts.

   idiomatic writing; an idiomatic composer.

Other Word Forms

• idiomatically adverb
• idiomaticalness noun
• idiomaticity noun
• nonidiomatic adjective
• nonidiomatical adjective
• nonidiomatically adverb
• nonidiomaticalness noun
• unidiomatic adjective
• unidiomatically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of idiomatic¹

1705–15; < Late Greek idiōmatikós, equivalent to idiōmat- (stem of idíōma ) idiom + -ikos -ic

Example Sentences

The German novelist most recently authored “Tyll,” shortlisted for the 2020 International Booker Prize, and his translator, Ross Benjamin, has rendered his new historical fiction in idiomatic English prose.

From Los Angeles Times

I was confident I was being scammed in some way but the idiomatic language and contextual knowledge of Westminster was unsettling.

From BBC

Added Fraction: “Even if we spoke Japanese as a second language, that idiomatic stuff is the hardest thing to get.”

From Los Angeles Times

“Signing is very idiomatic, it’s conveying concepts with your face and hands, so we ended up changing the script,” Barclay says.

From Los Angeles Times

Fairy tales, idiomatic expressions, warrior tales all amplified human fear, and led to the systematic extermination of wolves across Britain and Europe.

From Seattle Times