particular

[ per-tik-yuh-ler, puh-tik- ]

adjective

1. of or relating to a single or specific person, thing, group, class, occasion, etc., rather than to others or all; special rather than general:

   one's particular interests in books.

   Synonyms: specific

2. immediately present or under consideration; in this specific instance or place:

   Look at this particular clause in the contract.

   Synonyms: discrete, distinct, specific

3. distinguished or different from others or from the ordinary; noteworthy; marked; unusual:

   She sang with particular warmth at last evening's concert.

   Synonyms: notable

   Antonyms: ordinary

4. exceptional or especial:

   Take particular pains with this job.

5. being such in an exceptional degree:

   a particular friend of mine.

6. dealing with or giving details, as an account or description, of a person; detailed; minute.

   Synonyms: precise, exact, careful, scrupulous

   Antonyms: inexact

7. exceptionally selective, attentive, or exacting; fastidious; fussy:

   to be particular about one's food.

   Synonyms: finicky, finical, discriminating

   Antonyms: undiscriminating

8. Logic.
   1. not general; referring to an indefinite part of a whole class.
   2. (of a proposition) containing only existential quantifiers.
   3. partaking of the nature of an individual as opposed to a class.
9. Law.
   1. noting an estate that precedes a future or ultimate ownership, as lands devised to a widow during her lifetime and after that to her children.
   2. noting the tenant of such an estate.

noun

1. an individual or distinct part, as an item of a list or enumeration.

   Synonyms: particularity, feature

2. Usually particulars. specific points, details, or circumstances:

   to give an investigator the particulars of a case.

3. Logic. an individual or a specific group within a general class.

particular

/ pəˈtɪkjʊlə /

adjective

1. prenominal of or belonging to a single or specific person, thing, category, etc; specific; special

   the particular demands of the job

   no particular reason

2. prenominal exceptional or marked

   a matter of particular importance

3. prenominal relating to or providing specific details or circumstances

   a particular account

4. exacting or difficult to please, esp in details; fussy
5. (of the solution of a differential equation) obtained by giving specific values to the arbitrary constants in a general equation
6. logic (of a proposition) affirming or denying something about only some members of a class of objects, as in some men are not wicked Compare universal
7. property law denoting an estate that precedes the passing of the property into ultimate ownership See also remainder reversion

noun

1. a separate distinct item that helps to form a generalization: opposed to general
2. often plural an item of information; detail

   complete in every particular

3. logic another name for individual
4. philosophy an individual object, as contrasted with a universal See universal
5. in particular
   especially, particularly, or exactly

Other Words From

• over·par·ticu·lar adjective
• over·par·ticu·lar·ly adverb
• unpar·ticu·lar adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of particular¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Late Latin particulāris, equivalent to Latin particul(a) “small part” ( particle ) + -āris -ar ¹; replacing Middle English particuler, from Middle French, from Late Latin, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of particular¹

C14: from Old French particuler, from Late Latin particulāris concerning a part, from Latin particula particle v

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in particular, particularly; specifically; especially:

   There is one book in particular that may help you.

More idioms and phrases containing particular

see in particular .

Synonym Study

See special. Particular, dainty, fastidious imply great care, discrimination, and taste in choices, in details about one's person, etc. Particular implies especially care and attention to details: particular about one's clothes. Dainty implies delicate taste and exquisite cleanliness: a dainty dress. Fastidious implies being difficult to please and critical of small or minor points: a fastidious taste in styles.

Example Sentences

In the past year, the conversation about bird names has taken on a particular sense of urgency.

From Outside Online

They’re choosing some combination of sensitive and non-sensitive questions, ostensibly because the payment isn’t enough to overcome some of the problems that they might have with asking particular sensitive questions.

From Freakonomics

As part of that second leaderboard, he is the king of Super Bowls in particular.

From FiveThirtyEight

At that time, the strategist said Weaver did nothing to suggest he had an interest in men, let alone an interest in the strategist in particular.

From Washington Blade

Home Games has developed three products in particular to optimize mobile game creation.

From TechCrunch

There is a particular focus in the magazine on attacking the United States, which al Qaeda calls a top target.

From The Daily Beast

For those living in poor communities in particular, interactions with police rarely come with good news and a smile.

From The Daily Beast

He stopped at one point to ask someone directions to a particular housing development.

From The Daily Beast

The lack of a cannon is a particular problem, as the F-35 is being counted on to help out infantrymen under fire.

From The Daily Beast

Americans move around a lot, making it hard to form attachments to any particular place.

From The Daily Beast

In particular the Governor of Adinskoy offered us a guard of fifty men to the next station, if we apprehended any danger.

From Project Gutenberg

But I doubt if he feels any particular emotion himself, when he is piercing you through with his rendering.

From Project Gutenberg

No one ever argued with Levison; all understood that this particular phrase was final.

From Project Gutenberg

One old aunt in particular visited him twice a year, and stayed six months each time.

From Project Gutenberg

It is the will directing the activity of the intellect into some particular channel and keeping it there.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• exceptional
• odd
• peculiar
• personal
• respective
• separate
• single
• singular
• unique
• unusual