Idiom: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Idiom noun. A phrase whose meaning can't be worked out from its individual words.
How to say it
ID-ee-um/ˈɪdɪəm/
3 syllables, stressed on the first (ID).
Meanings
- A phrase whose meaning can't be worked out from its individual words.
- The natural way of speaking of a particular group, or the typical style of an artist.
Idiom in a sentence
'Let the cat out of the bag' is an idiom that baffles most learners of English.
The film captures the idiom of 1970s Glasgow perfectly.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- expression
- phrase
- saying
- turn of phrase
Where idiom comes from
From Greek idiōma, a peculiarity, from idios, one's own.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The film captures the _____ of 1970s Glasgow perfectly.
- idiom
- tmesis
- deipnosophist
Show the answer
idiom: The film captures the idiom of 1970s Glasgow perfectly.