Etymology From off- + beat; not following the beat (e.g., of a drum that sounds out cadence).
1
Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music The beats not normally accented in a measure.
The congregation clapped along on the offbeat.
2
Slang An unconventional person, someone who does not follow the beat, who chooses not to conform.
No one dignified such offbeats by responding to their outcries. Today, the "knockers of progress" have become a force that cannot be ignored.1977, Lyle W. Dorsett, The Queen City: A History of Denver:
Being an oddball, an offbeat, or a creative person, as Jourard sees the committed professional, is something all nurses should risk.1980, Eleanor C. Hein, Communication in nursing practice, →ISBN, page 16:
1 more example
In addition to creating a web of stories that will be passed through many generations, these offbeats usually strengthen the fiber of their particular hobby […]2001, Andrew Yoder, Pirate Radio Stations:
offbeat
adj
/ɒfˈbiːt/
Etymology From off- + beat; not following the beat (e.g., of a drum that sounds out cadence).
1
Unusual; unconventional; not ordinary.
He has such an offbeat sense of humor that hardly anyone finds his jokes amusing.