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. especially, particularly, or exactly

Other Word Forms

• overparticular adjective
• overparticularly adverb
• unparticular 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.

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

"We don't think this particular experiment in itself is the answer, but it's a key building block," said Prof Marsden.

From BBC

He took particular issue with Newsom’s taunting reaction after Bed Bath & Beyond recently announced it won’t open or operate new stores in California.

From Los Angeles Times

Ministers argue the restrictions are an important step to tackle obesity – and in particular childhood obesity.

From BBC

Yet for a man who appears to be on top of the world, he's surprisingly angry, in particular about the increasing hurdles he perceives the government is putting in the way of firms like his.

From BBC

“This is not about enforcing standards,” she said, “it’s about inculcating a particular value system within the officer corps.”

From Salon

Related Words

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