Idiosyncrasy

Idiosyncrasy comes from Greek ιδιοσυγκρασία "a peculiar temperament", "habit of body" (idios "one's own" and sun-krasis "mixture"). It is defined as a structural or behavioral characteristic peculiar to an individual or group. The term can also be applied to symbols. Idiosyncratic symbols mean one thing for a particular person, as a blade could mean war, but to someone else, it could symbolize a knighting. By the same principle, linguists state that words are not only arbitrary, but also largely idiosyncratic signs.

The word idiosyncratic is often used as a label to denote a group attitude or opinion that regards the own group as righteous and superior, everyone else or a selected outgroup as an evil enemy, while at the same time regarding all criticisms towards the own position as hostile attacks.