particularistic

American  

[per-tik-yuh-ler-ist-ik] / pərˌtɪk yə lərˈɪst ɪk /

adjective

1. reflecting or adhering to a political principle of leaving each member state of a federation or empire free to retain its laws and promote its own interests.

2. showing exclusive attention or devotion to one's own particular interests, party, academic specialty, etc.

3. Theology. reflecting or adhering to the belief that God chooses particular individuals, nations, etc., and not others.

4. Philosophy. reflecting or adhering to the belief in the importance of particulars over universals.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• particularistically
  adverb

Example Sentences

During Japan’s occupation of Southeast Asia in World War II, its troops went from being hailed as liberators to facing open revolt across the region after they failed to propagate their similarly particularistic culture.

From Salon • Sep. 7, 2018

The reason for this may be partly found in the preparation of the soil for their seed by the medieval heresies, but still more in the strong particularistic spirit of that region.

From The Age of the Reformation by Smith, Preserved

Contrasted with the particularistic uprising of 1477 it evinced the enormous growth, in the intervening century, of a national self-consciousness in the Seventeen Provinces.

From The Age of the Reformation by Smith, Preserved

An immigrant, Hamilton had no particularistic ties; he was by instinct a “continentalist” or federalist.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 8 "Haller, Albrecht" to "Harmonium" by Various

On the other hand, it was Webster who, at this time, appeared narrow and particularistic.

From The Middle Period 1817-1858 by Burgess, John William