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peculiar

adjective
pe·​cu·​liar | \ pi-ˈkyül-yÉ™r How to pronounce peculiar (audio) \

Definition of peculiar

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : characteristic of only one person, group, or thing : distinctive … a drowsy fervour of manner and tone which was quite peculiar to her.— Thomas Hardy
2 : different from the usual or normal:
a : special, particular a matter of peculiar interest
b : odd, curious It seems peculiar that she would leave town without telling anybody.
c : eccentric, unusual The play had a zany plot and very peculiar characters.

peculiar

noun
pe·​cu·​liar | \ pi-ˈkyül-yÉ™r How to pronounce peculiar (audio) \

Definition of peculiar (Entry 2 of 2)

: something exempt from ordinary jurisdiction especially : a church or parish exempt from the jurisdiction of the ordinary in whose territory it lies
Other Words from peculiar Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Peculiar Has Latin Roots More Example Sentences Learn More about peculiar

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Other Words from peculiar

Adjective

peculiarly adverb

Choose the Right Synonym for peculiar

Adjective

characteristic, individual, peculiar, distinctive mean indicating a special quality or identity. characteristic applies to something that distinguishes or identifies a person or thing or class. responded with her characteristic wit individual stresses qualities that distinguish one from all other members of the same kind or class. a highly individual writing style peculiar applies to qualities possessed only by a particular individual or class or kind and stresses rarity or uniqueness. an eccentricity that is peculiar to the British distinctive indicates qualities distinguishing and uncommon and often superior or praiseworthy. a distinctive aura of grace and elegance

strange, singular, unique, peculiar, eccentric, erratic, odd, quaint, outlandish mean departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected. strange stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable. a journey filled with strange sights singular suggests individuality or puzzling strangeness. a singular feeling of impending disaster unique implies singularity and the fact of being without a known parallel. a career unique in the annals of science peculiar implies a marked distinctiveness. the peculiar status of America's first lady eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior. the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers erratic stresses a capricious and unpredictable wandering or deviating. a friend's suddenly erratic behavior odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected. an odd sense of humor quaint suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness. a quaint fishing village outlandish applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric. outlandish fashions of the time

Peculiar Has Latin Roots

Adjective

Peculiar comes from Latin peculiaris, an adjective meaning "privately owned" or "special" that is derived from the word for "property," peculium. Those words are cognate with pecu, a word for "cattle" that is also etymologically linked to a few English words related to money. Among these are pecuniary ("of or relating to money"), peculate ("to embezzle"), and impecunious ("having very little or no money"). Peculiar borrowed the Latin meanings of peculiaris, but it eventually came to refer to qualities possessed only by a particular individual, group, or thing. That sense is commonly followed by the preposition to, as in "a custom peculiar to America." In time, peculiar was being used specifically for unusual qualities, as well as the individuals that possessed them, which led to the word's "odd," "curious," and "eccentric" senses.

Examples of peculiar in a Sentence

Adjective

 As military coups go, this was a most peculiar one, bloodless, and in Bangkok at least quite popular. — Ian Buruma, New York Review, 1 Mar. 2007 Right about then, Ensberg got himself back on the field, where a peculiar thing happened: he stopped thinking. — Tom Friend, ESPN, 28 Aug. 2006 I smell again the peculiar and dynamic smell of Gillespie's science room. — Muriel Spark, Curriculum Vitae, (1992) 1993 It seems peculiar that he would leave town and not tell anybody. The dog's peculiar behavior worried them. She got a peculiar feeling when the phone rang. She had a peculiar expression on her face.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

 These films follow the largely untold stories of peculiar circumstances facing different groups and individuals here in America that are fleeing oppression, challenging paradigms, searching for answers, and taking a stand. — NBC News, "Yearning to Breathe Free: Meet the Press Film Festival with AFI," 6 Sep. 2019 For example, a hole at the top and rear of the skull anchored jaw muscles for chomping through the Mesozoic world—and a new study suggests there was more to this peculiar anatomical window than just biting. — Riley Black, Smithsonian, "Special Skull Windows Helped Dinosaur Brains Keep Cool," 4 Sep. 2019 This was possible because of a peculiar electoral system set up after 1989 in which all citizens had two votes, one for a one-representative district and another for a multi-member district. — The Economist, "How Viktor Orban hollowed out Hungary’s democracy," 29 Aug. 2019 The tragedy drew international attention because of its peculiar circumstances. — Eve Rosen, orlandosentinel.com, "Bird in deadly Florida attack severed artery in man’s arm," 28 Aug. 2019 Behind the facially value-neutral fad of SEL in NYC lies a peculiar mix of intersectionality, the gamification of social relations, and pop-psychology ideas of mental health. — Max C. Eden, National Review, "The Latest Education-Policy Fad Amounts to Social and Emotional Engineering," 27 Aug. 2019 The abruptness of the change and choice of successor given recent events add up to a peculiar move. — Avi Creditor, SI.com, "Montreal Impact Fire Manager Remi Garde, Hire Ex-Dynamo Coach Cabrera," 21 Aug. 2019 By the turn of the century, the first California offshoots of the UDC—the Jefferson Davis Chapter, the Emma Sansom Chapter, and the Stonewall Jackson Chapter—were busily perpetuating their peculiar interpretation of the war. — Kevin Waite, The New Republic, "California’s Forgotten Confederate History," 19 Aug. 2019 This weekend, something peculiar visited the Arctic, a mere 300 miles from the north pole: lightning. — Matt Simon, WIRED, "Why Lightning Strikes in an Arctic Gone Bizarro," 13 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'peculiar.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of peculiar

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