Etymology

Noun

1. The beats not normally accented in a measure.

   The congregation clapped along on the offbeat.

2. An unconventional person, someone who does not follow the beat, who chooses not to conform.
   • 1977, Lyle W Dorsett, The Queen City: a history of Denver

     No one dignified such offbeats by responding to their outcries. Today, the "knockers of progress" have become a force that cannot be ignored.

3. }
   • 2001, Andrew Yoder, Pirate Radio Stations

     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...

Adjective

1. Unusual, unconventional, not ordinary.

   He has such an offbeat sense of humor that hardly anyone finds his jokes amusing.