peculiarity
Americannoun
plural
peculiarities-
a trait, manner, characteristic, or habit that is odd or unusual.
- Synonyms:
- idiosyncrasy
-
oddity; singularity; eccentricity.
- Synonyms:
- irregularity
-
a distinguishing quality or characteristic.
-
the quality or condition of being peculiar.
noun
-
a strange or unusual habit or characteristic
-
a distinguishing trait, etc that is characteristic of a particular person; idiosyncrasy
-
the state or quality of being peculiar
Related Words
See eccentricity. See feature.
Etymology
Origin of peculiarity
First recorded in 1600–10; from Late Latin pecūliāritās “private property, special care,” a derivative of pecūliāris peculiar + -itas -ity ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Length isn’t the only peculiarity, though: As good natured as it is, “Happiness” is also fairly generic; one wonders if it would have been programmed if it weren’t an import.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 11, 2025
And it warned that legislation introduced in 2023 has not removed all of the risks, and the collapse of the case was not a "one-off peculiarity created solely by outdated legislation".
From Barron's • Dec. 3, 2025
Escola’s work has always been blissfully weird yet totally charming, hyper-confident in its discerning peculiarity.
From Salon • Jun. 9, 2025
This peculiarity mirrors the history of Latino political empowerment in the state.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2025
Set atop these odd beliefs and quirky traits, however, was the mind of a supreme genius–though even when working in conventional channels he often showed a tendency to peculiarity.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
