peculiarity

[pi-kyoo-lee-ar-i-tee, -kyool-yar-]

See more synonyms for peculiarity on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural pe·cu·li·ar·i·ties.

a trait, manner, characteristic, or habit that is odd or unusual.
oddity; singularity; eccentricity.
a distinguishing quality or characteristic.

the quality or condition of being peculiar.

Origin of peculiarity

From the Late Latin word pecūliāritās, dating back to 1600–10. See peculiar, -ity

Synonyms for peculiarity

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1. idiosyncrasy. See eccentricity. 2. irregularity. 3. See feature.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for peculiarity

quirk, idiosyncrasy, foible, distinctiveness, trait, eccentricity, particularity, abnormality, kink, savor, attribute, slant, character, feature, specialty, twist, mark, mannerism, affectation, singularity

Examples from the Web for peculiarity

Contemporary Examples of peculiarity

“The peculiarity of this book is that I never saw it coming,” Burke said.
James Lee Burke Talks About His Fiction, History, and the American Dream
David Masciotra
July 20, 2014
Adding to the peculiarity of the case is the lack of motive.
Melissa Huckaby's Other Victim
Jennifer Wadsworth
April 21, 2009

Historical Examples of peculiarity

From this peculiarity he names the disorder Convulsio spargens.
The Devil's Dictionary
Ambrose Bierce
When it fails, it is in consequence of some peculiarity in the composition of the ink.
Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches
Eliza Leslie
The peculiarity of my temper is, ma'am, that I won't be swallowed up alive.'
Little Dorrit
Charles Dickens
It was the peculiarity of the nuptials that they were all Bride.
Little Dorrit
Charles Dickens
What was the peculiarity about the mine which constituted its recommendation to investors?
A Woman Intervenes
Robert Barr

British Dictionary definitions for peculiarity

peculiarity

noun plural -ties

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

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 peculiarity

c.1600, "exclusive possession;" 1640s, "special characteristic," from peculiar + -ity, or else from Latin peculiaritas. Meaning "an oddity" is attested by 1777. Related: Peculiarities.