Definition of "mannerism" [man•ner•ism]

• A distinctive behavioral trait; an idiosyncrasy. (noun)
• Exaggerated or affected style or habit, as in dress or speech. See Synonyms at affectation. (noun)
• An artistic style of the late 16th century characterized by distortion of elements such as scale and perspective. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Its the comparison of the mannerism of various stars. .trying to tell his \mannerism was"
• "Always easy, always lucid, always correct, we may find them; but who is the writer, easy, lucid, and correct, who has not impregnated his writing with something of that personal flavour which we call mannerism?"
• "Sometimes I base part of characters on friends; for instance, a certain mannerism or personality trait."