peculiar people

American  

plural noun

1. the Jews as being God's chosen people. Deuteronomy 14:2.

2. (usually initial capital letters)  a name adopted by certain fundamentalist Christian sects, signifying their refusal to conform to any rule of conduct that is contrary to the letter or spirit of the Bible.

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peculiar people British  

plural noun

1. (sometimes capitals) a small sect of faith healers founded in London in 1838, having no ministers or external organization

2. the Jews considered as God's elect

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Etymology

Origin of peculiar people

First recorded in 1485–95

Example Sentences

They’re both peculiar people, in specific and unique ways, shifting haphazardly from bravado to vulnerability, and both actors turn what could have been an acting exercise into a showcase for tour de forces of characterization and intimacy.

From New York Times

What’s most impressive about Harris’s novel is how he attends to the lives of these peculiar people while capturing the tectonic tensions at play in the American South.

From Washington Post

Democrats pushing impeachment 2.0 know that many states’ Republican Party organizations are controlled by peculiar people.

From Washington Post

King notes that Mormons are raised to see themselves as “peculiar people,” with a deep commitment to principled living.

From Seattle Times

His endearing stories about peculiar people remain a testament to his observational skills and his management of words.

From Washington Times