peculiar

pi-KYOOL-yur/pɪˈkjul.jɚ/Saypi-KYOO-lee-uh/pɪˈkjuː.li.ə/AUS/pɪˈkjʉː.li.ə/

Noun pluralpeculiars

6 meanings of peculiar

1
adjective
Strange or unusual, often in a way that catches your attention.
Like finding a sock in the fridge: it just doesn't seem right.
There was a peculiar smell coming from the kitchen.
She gave me a peculiar look when I mentioned the trip.
Similarstrange, odd, unusual, uncommon
Oppositeordinary, common, usual
2
adjective
Belonging to or typical of one particular place, group, or thing.
Like a dish you can only find in one country and nowhere else.
This dance is peculiar to the islands where it first began.
Those flat vowels are peculiar to one part of the country.
Similarspecific
Oppositegeneral, common, universal
Note
3
nouncountable
A quality or right that belongs to only one person or thing.
Like a special talent that only one person in a group has.
A sharp wit was a peculiar of the family that set them apart.
The right to graze sheep there remained a peculiar of the manor.
Similarprerogative, privilege, characteristic, trait
Note
4
nounUKcountable
A church or parish that is not controlled by the local bishop.
Like a club that makes its own rules instead of following the town's.
The chapel was a peculiar, so the bishop had no say over it.
Some old churches were peculiars and followed their own rules.
Note

Less common meanings

5
adjectivedated
Belonging to one person alone and to no one else.
Like a toy that belongs to just one child and nobody else can use it.
The walled garden was peculiar to her, a place no one else could enter.
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
1769, King James Bible, Titus ii. 14Here, peculiar means belonging to one person alone, his very own.
Similarexclusive, unique, particular
Oppositecommon, shared
Note
6
adjectivedated
Special and suited to one particular thing or purpose.
Like the special clothes you wear only on holidays.
The ceremony demanded robes peculiar to the occasion.
My fate is Juno's most peculiar care.
1697, Dryden, JohnHere, peculiar means special or particular.
Similarspecific, particular, special
Note

Practice

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Origin

From Latin peculiaris meaning "one's own," from a word for private property, from a word for cattle.