particular

American  

[per-tik-yuh-ler, puh-tik-] / pərˈtɪk yə lər, pəˈtɪk- /

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.

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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.

idioms

1. in particular, particularly; specifically; especially.

   There is one book in particular that may help you.

particular British  

/ 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

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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

particular More Idioms  

1. see in particular.

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Synonym Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• overparticularly
  adverb
• unparticular
  adjective
• overparticular
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of particular

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

Explanation

As an adjective, particular describes something specific, such as when you prefer one particular type of cereal over another. The noun form means specific points or details, as in the particulars of a police investigation. The idea of particular referring to details comes from the Latin particula, which means "particle" or "small part," and in Middle English the word meant something that referred to a single person or thing. You can note that in the phrase "in particular" which means "especially." As in, one breed of dog in particular would suit you best, with your floppy ears and friendly personality.

Example Sentences

Particular concerns center on the reliability of valuation practices and the quality of disclosure, especially as funds scale and performance becomes harder to independently verify.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026

Particular attention was paid to their Universal Waste Management System, otherwise known as the loo.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

Particular attention will be paid to the role of Kim's teenage daughter Ju Ae.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

The Jimmy Buffett lifestyle crosses seas and transcends continents, as Angélique Kidjo proved on a regal take of “One Particular Harbour.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2024

Some Birthday vs. a Particular Birthday Sigmund Freud once remarked that there was no such thing as a coincidence.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos

Related Words

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