peculiar
Use Peculiar in a sentence
yər adjective
1.
strange; queer; odd: peculiar happenings.
2.
uncommon; unusual: the peculiar hobby of stuffing and mounting bats.
3.
distinctive in nature or character from others.
4.
belonging characteristically (usually followed by to ): an expression peculiar to Canadians.
5.
belonging exclusively to some person, group, or thing: the peculiar properties of a drug.
noun
7.
a property or privilege belonging exclusively or characteristically to a person.
8.
British. a particular parish or church that is exempted from the jurisdiction of the ordinary or bishop in whose diocese it lies and is governed by another.
9.
peculiars, Also called arbitraries. British Printing. special characters not generally included in standard type fonts, as phonetic symbols, mathematical symbols, etc.
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Peculiar
is always a great word to know.
So is Betelgeuse. Does it mean:
| a zodiacal constellation between Gemini and Aries, containing the bright star Aldebaran also called the Bull |
| a bright red supergiant star in the constellation Orion |
Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English; < Latin pecūliāris as one's own, equivalent to pecūli(um) property (derivative of pecū flock, farm animals; akin to pecus cattle (see fee)) + -āris -ar1
1400–50; late Middle English; < Latin pecūliāris as one's own, equivalent to pecūli(um) property (derivative of pecū flock, farm animals; akin to pecus cattle (see fee)) + -āris -ar1
Related forms
pe·cu·liar·ly, adverb
un·pe·cu·liar, adjective
un·pe·cu·liar·ly, adverb
Synonyms
1. eccentric, bizarre. See strange. 2. extraordinary, singular, exceptional. 5. individual, personal, particular, special, unique.
1. eccentric, bizarre. See strange. 2. extraordinary, singular, exceptional. 5. individual, personal, particular, special, unique.
Antonyms
2, 5. common.
2, 5. common.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To peculiar
Collins
World English Dictionary
peculiar (pɪˈkjuːlɪə) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj (foll by to) | |
| 1. | strange or unusual; odd: a peculiar individual; a peculiar idea |
| 2. | distinct from others; special |
| 3. | belonging characteristically or exclusively (to): peculiar to North America |
| —n | |
| 4. | printing Also called: arbitrary a special sort, esp an accented letter |
| 5. | Church of England a church or parish that is exempt from the jurisdiction of the ordinary in whose diocese it lies |
| [C15: from Latin pecūliāris concerning private property, from pecūlium, literally: property in cattle, from pecus cattle] | |
| pe'culiarly | |
| —adv | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
peculiar
c.1460, from L. peculiaris "of one's own (property)," from peculium "private property," lit. "property in cattle" (in ancient times the most important form of property), from pecu "cattle, flock," related to pecus "cattle" (see pecuniary). Meaning of "unusual" is first
attested 1608; peculiarity "special characteristic" is from 1646; noun meaning "an oddity" is 1777.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Easton
Bible Dictionary
Peculiar definition
as used in the phrase "peculiar people" in 1 Pet. 2:9, is derived from the Lat. peculium, and denotes, as rendered in the Revised Version ("a people for God's own possession"), a special possession or property. The church is the "property" of God, his "purchased possession" (Eph. 1:14; R.V., "God's own possession").
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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Example sentences
It's a peculiar sort of beauty.
But this is not clearly true given the peculiar characteristics of military service.
Army ant attacks can elicit peculiar behaviors in potential prey.
Social psychologists have investigated the phenomenon, which seems to be a peculiar exception to human empathy.
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