Definitions for peculiar
pɪˈkyul yərpe·cu·liar

Princeton's WordNet(2.00 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. curious, funny, odd, peculiar, queer, rum, rummy, singularadjective

   beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

   "a curious hybrid accent"; "her speech has a funny twang"; "they have some funny ideas about war"; "had an odd name"; "the peculiar aromatic odor of cloves"; "something definitely queer about this town"; "what a rum fellow"; "singular behavior"

2. particular(a), peculiar(a), special(a)adjective

   unique or specific to a person or thing or category

   "the particular demands of the job"; "has a particular preference for Chinese art"; "a peculiar bond of sympathy between them"; "an expression peculiar to Canadians"; "rights peculiar to the rich"; "the special features of a computer"; "my own special chair"

3. peculiaradjective

   markedly different from the usual

   "a peculiar hobby of stuffing and mounting bats"; "a man...feels it a peculiar insult to be taunted with cowardice by a woman"-Virginia Woolf

4. peculiar(a)adjective

   characteristic of one only; distinctive or special

   "the peculiar character of the Government of the U.S."- R.B.Taney

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. peculiaradjective

   Out of the ordinary; odd; curious; unusual.

   It's rather peculiar to see a Kangaroo outside of a zoo in America.

2. peculiaradjective

   Common or usual for a certain place or circumstance; specific or particular.

   Kangaroos are peculiar to Australia.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. PECULIARadjective

   Etymology: peculiaris, from peculium, Lat. pecule, Fr.

   1. Appropriate; belonging to any one with exclusion of others.

   I agree with Sir William Temple, that the word humour is peculiar to our English tongue; but not that the thing itself is peculiar to the English, because the contrary may be found in many Spanish, Italian and French productions. Jonathan Swift.

   2. Not common to other things.

   The only sacred hymns they are that christianity hath peculiar unto itself, the other being songs too of praise and of thanksgiving, but songs wherewith as we serve God, so the Jews likewise. Richard Hooker, b. v. s. 39.

   Space and duration being ideas that have something very abstruse and peculiar in their nature, the comparing them one with another may be of use for their illustration. John Locke.

   3. Particular; single. To join most with peculiar, though found in John Dryden, is improper.

   One peculiar nation to select
   From all the rest, of whom to be invok’d. John Milton.

   I neither fear, nor will provoke the war;
   My fate is Juno’s most peculiar care. Dryden.

2. Peculiarnoun

   1. The property; the exclusive property.

   By tincture or reflection, they augment
   Their small peculiar. John Milton, Par. Lost.

   Revenge is so absolutely the peculiar of heaven, that no consideration whatever can empower even the best men to assume the execution of it. Robert South, Sermons.

   2. Something abscinded from the ordinary jurisdiction.

   Certain peculiars there are, some appertaining to the dignities of the cathredral church at Exon. Carew.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Peculiaradjective

   one's own; belonging solely or especially to an individual; not possessed by others; of private, personal, or characteristic possession and use; not owned in common or in participation

2. Peculiaradjective

   particular; individual; special; appropriate

3. Peculiaradjective

   unusual; singular; rare; strange; as, the sky had a peculiarappearance

4. Peculiarnoun

   that which is peculiar; a sole or exclusive property; a prerogative; a characteristic

5. Peculiarnoun

   a particular parish or church which is exempt from the jurisdiction of the ordinary

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Peculiar

   Peculiar is an album by the New York City ska band The Slackers. It was released on Hellcat Records in 2006.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Peculiar

   pē-kūl′yar, adj. one's own: belonging to no other: appropriate: particular: odd, uncommon, strange.—n. (obs.) private property: a parish or church exempt from the jurisdiction of the ordinary or bishop in whose diocese it is placed.—v.t. Pecul′iarise, to set apart.—n. Peculiar′ity, quality of being peculiar or singular: that which is found in one and in no other: that which marks a person off from others: individuality.—adv. Pecul′iarly.—n. Pecū′lium, private property, esp. that given by a father to a son, &c.—Peculiar people, the people of Israel: a sect of faith-healers, founded in London in 1838, who reject medical aid in cases of disease, and rely on anointing with oil by the elders, and on prayer, with patient nursing. [Fr.,—L. peculiaris—peculium, private property.]

British National Corpus

1. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'peculiar' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4496

2. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'peculiar' in Adjectives Frequency: #782

How to pronounce peculiar?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say peculiar in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of peculiar in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of peculiar in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of peculiar in a Sentence

1. Robert Wright:

   We're all puppets, and our best hope for even partial liberation is to try to decipher the logic of the puppeteer. Just because natural selection created us doesn't mean we have to slavishly follow its peculiar agenda. (If anything, we might be tempted to spite it for all the ridiculous baggage it's saddled us with.)

2. Becky Craven:

   As a covenant people, we are not meant to blend in with the rest of the world, we have been called a peculiar people - what a compliment.

3. Malcolm Muggeridge:

   One of the peculiar sins of the twentieth century which we've developed to a very high level is the sin of credulity. It has been said that when human beings stop believing in God they believe in nothing. The truth is much worse: they believe in anything.

4. Will Rogers:

   We are sure living in a peculiar time. You get more for not working than you will for working, and more for not raising a hog than for raising it.

5. John Dryden:

   Set all things in their own peculiar place, and know that order is the greatest grace.

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