peculiar

[ pi-kyool-yer ]

/ pɪˈkyul yər /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR peculiar ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

strange; queer; odd: peculiar happenings.

uncommon; unusual: the peculiar hobby of stuffing and mounting bats.

distinctive in nature or character from others.

belonging characteristically (usually followed by to): an expression peculiar to Canadians.

belonging exclusively to some person, group, or thing: the peculiar properties of a drug.

Astronomy. designating a star or galaxy with special properties that deviates from others of its spectral type or galaxy class.

noun

a property or privilege belonging exclusively or characteristically to a person.

British. a particular parish or church that is exempted from the jurisdiction of the ordinary or bishop in whose diocese it lies and is governed by another.

peculiars. Also called arbitraries. British Printing. special characters not generally included in standard type fonts, as phonetic symbols, mathematical symbols, etc.

Nearby words

Origin of peculiar

1400–50; late Middle English; < Latin pecūliāris as one's own, equivalent to pecūli(um) property (derivative of pecū flock, farm animals; akin to pecus cattle (see fee)) + -āris -ar¹

SYNONYMS FOR peculiar

1. eccentric, bizarre. See strange. 2. extraordinary, singular, exceptional. 5. individual, personal, particular, special, unique.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR peculiar ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR peculiar

2, 5. common.

SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR peculiar ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formspe·cu·liar·ly, adverbun·pe·cu·liar, adjectiveun·pe·cu·liar·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for peculiar

Life is a series of seemingly throwaway moments strung together in a peculiar tapestry, and Linklater has captured it beautifully.
Oscars 2015: The Daily Beast’s Picks, From Scarlett Johansson to ‘Boyhood’|Marlow Stern|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Because the shop was emblematic of that peculiar Italian institution known as La Faccia: i.e. presenting the best face possible.
The Bookstore That Bewitched Mick Jagger, John Lennon, and Greta Garbo|Felice Picano|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the semifinals, she was in a peculiar position for someone of Jeopardy!
Jeopardy! Champion Julia Collins’s Brain Feels Like Mush|Sujay Kumar|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The remainder is “peculiar” motion: movement of galaxies as dictated by the presence of matter nearby.
Laniakea: The Milky Way’s Place in the Heavens|Matthew R. Francis|September 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST

“When I first met Ed, I thought he was a peculiar guy, but when I got my hands on the book, it was masterful,” Osse said.
Bam! Pow! Bling! Hip-Hop's History Gets the Graphic Novel Treatment|Daniel Genis|August 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They all had beards, which were dressed in a peculiar way in plaits.
A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder|James De Mille
The phenomenon of variable motion is not, however, peculiar to the red spot.
Other Worlds|Garrett P. Serviss
Wood and iron both have their peculiar advantages and disadvantages.
Inventions in the Century|William Henry Doolittle
You look upon a scene which is peculiar to this part of Iowa alone.
Some Winter Days in Iowa|Frederick John Lazell
The gun was just in position when a peculiar incident occurred.
New Zealanders at Gallipoli|Major Fred Waite

British Dictionary definitions for peculiar

peculiar

/ (pɪˈkjuːlɪə) /

adjective

strange or unusual; odda peculiar individual; a peculiar idea

distinct from others; special

(postpositive foll by to) belonging characteristically or exclusively (to)peculiar to North America

noun

Also called: arbitrary printing a special sort, esp an accented letter

Church of England a church or parish that is exempt from the jurisdiction of the ordinary in whose diocese it lies

Derived Formspeculiarly, adverb

Word Origin for peculiar

C15: from Latin pecūliāris concerning private property, from pecūlium, literally: property in cattle, from pecus cattle

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for peculiar

peculiar

adj.

mid-15c., "belonging exclusively to one person," from Latin peculiaris "of one's own (property)," from peculium "private property," literally "property in cattle" (in ancient times the most important form of property), from pecu "cattle, flock," related to pecus "cattle" (see pecuniary). Meaning "unusual" is first attested c.1600 (earlier "distinguished, special," 1580s; for sense development, cf. idiom). Related: Peculiarly.