the.com/odd duck
Not a criticism — a compliment that hasn't realized it yet.
means A person who's charmingly, noticeably different from everyone else — eccentric in a way that's hard to pin down but easy to notice.
from American slang, likely from the 1800s, built on 'odd' meaning strange or unmatched (as in an 'odd number' or an odd sock left without its pair) plus 'duck,' a folksy term for a person already in use in phrases like 'odd fish' or 'queer duck.' Ducks were common barnyard fixtures, so one that strayed from the flock's usual look or walk stood out instantly — a homely, affectionate image for anyone who doesn't quite match the rest of the pond.
- origin
- american slang, 1940s, replacing odd fish
- implies
- harmless strangeness, not dangerous weirdness
- usage
- said fondly about relatives, rarely to their face
- synonym energy
- black sheep's quirkier, less tortured cousin