Syn. -- Dialect. -- Idiom, Dialect. The idioms of a language belong to
its very structure; its dialects are varieties of expression ingrafted
upon it in different localities or by different professions. Each
county of England has some peculiarities of dialect, and so have most
of the professions, while the great idioms of the language are
everywhere the same. See Language.
{ Id`i*o*mat"ic (?), Id`i*o*mat"ic*al (?), } a. [Gr. 'idiwmatiko`s.] Of
or pertaining to, or conforming to, the mode of expression peculiar to
a language; as, an idiomatic meaning; an idiomatic phrase. --
Id`i*o*mat"ic*al*ly, adv.
Id`i*o*morph"ic (?), a. Idiomorphous.
Id`i*o*morph"ous (?), a. [Gr. 'idio`morfos of peculiar form; 'i`dios
peculiar + &?; form.] 1. Having a form of its own.
2. (Crystallog.) Apperaing in distinct crystals; -- said of the mineral
constituents of a rock.
Id`i*o*mus"cu*lar (?), a. [Idio- + muscular.] (Physiol.) Applied to a
semipermanent contraction of a muscle, produced by a mechanical
irritant.