particular

American  

[per-tik-yuh-ler, puh-tik-] / pərˈtɪk jə 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

particulars plural

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

• overparticular
  adjective
• unparticular
  adjective
• overparticularly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• particulars
  plural

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

See Examples For:

particular particulars

In the past, people without business contacts or particular savvy might not have known how to get their ideas off the ground, said Ernie Tedeschi, Stripe’s chief economist.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

Trump referred to these efforts on Monday, saying: "Plants are being built. A lot of equipment is being built. The Patriots, in particular, are being built."

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

Reconstructing the diversity of life in a particular place and time can be difficult for paleontologists.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 30, 2026

This reinforces the conclusion that it’s the approach itself that has lost touch, rather than the particular number of trading days that are incorporated into the moving average.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026

And Karli, in particular, could not stop giggling about the policeman’s hat being knocked off.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo

Rees is a racing driver and has experience as a stunt driver for TV shows, but the particulars of his claim said he had never driven a Morgan Super 3 before.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

He said he "can't get into the particulars" but "there are some people that claim that they are coaches that may not be coaches."

From Barron's ● Jun. 9, 2026

However people respond to the particulars of the new hotel, Tafazoli said, he knows that the larger setting of Coronado is a special place.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2026

Chitwood is targeting legal loopholes in Montana, though he was vague about the particulars.

From Slate ● Mar. 30, 2026

“The old man paused and then continued, ‘If you will unreservedly confide to me the particulars of your tale, I perhaps may be of use in undeceiving them.

From "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley

Related Words

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