eclectic: Meaning and Definition of

ec•lec•tic

Pronunciation: (i-klek'tik), [key]
— adj.
  1. selecting or choosing from various sources.
  2. made up of what is selected from different sources.
  3. not following any one system, as of philosophy, medicine, etc., but selecting and using what are considered the best elements of all systems.
  4. noting or pertaining to works of architecture, decoration, landscaping, etc., produced by a certain person or during a certain period, that derive from a wide range of historic styles, the style in each instance often being chosen for its fancied appropriateness to local tradition, local geography, the purpose to be served, or the cultural background of the client.
—n.
  1. a person who follows an eclectic method, as in philosophy or architecture.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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