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Definition of Peculiar
1. Adjective. Beyond or deviating from the usual or expected. "Singular behavior"
Similar to: Strange, Unusual
Derivative terms: Curiosity, Curiousness, Oddity, Peculiarity, Queerness, Singularity
2. Adjective. Unique or specific to a person or thing or category. "My own special chair"
3. Adjective. Markedly different from the usual. "A man...feels it a peculiar insult to be taunted with cowardice by a woman"
4. Adjective. Characteristic of one only; distinctive or special. "The peculiar character of the Government of the U.S."
Definition of Peculiar
1. a. 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. n. That which is peculiar; a sole or exclusive property; a prerogative; a characteristic.
Definition of Peculiar
1. Adjective. Out of the ordinary; odd; curious; unusual. ¹
2. Adjective. Common or usual for a certain place or circumstance; specific or particular. ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Definition of Peculiar
1. something belonging exclusively to a person [n -S]
Medical Definition of Peculiar
1. 1. 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. "And purify unto himself a peculiar people." (Titus II. 14) "Hymns . . . That Christianity hath peculiar unto itself." (Hooker) 2. Particular; individual; special; appropriate. "While each peculiar power forgoes his wonted seat." (Milton) "My fate is Juno's most peculiar care." (Dryden) 3. Unusual; singular; rare; strange; as, the sky had a peculiarappearance. Synonym: Peculiar, Special, Especial. Peculiar is from the Roman peculium, which was a thing emphatically and distinctively one's own, and hence was dear. The former sense always belongs to peculiar (as, a peculiar style, peculiar manners, etc), and usually so much of the latter as to involve feelings of interest; as, peculiar care, watchfulness, satisfaction, etc. Nothing of this kind belongs to special and especial. They mark simply the relation of species to genus, and denote that there is something in this case more than ordinary; as, a special act of Congress; especial pains, etc. "Beauty, which, either walking or asleep, Shot forth peculiar graces." (Milton) "For naught so vile that on the earth doth live, But to the earth some special good doth give." (Shak) Origin: L. Peculiaris, fr. Peculium private property, akin to pecunia money: cf. OF. Peculier. See Pecuniary. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)
Lexicographical Neighbors of Peculiar
Literary usage of Peculiar
Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:
1. An Essay Concerning the Human Understanding by John Locke (1813)
"It may however be worth while to inquire into the reason of their evidence, and
see whether it be peculiar to them alone, and also examine how far they ..."
2. Journal of Anatomy and Physiology by Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland (1873)
"peculiar MALFORMATION OF THE LEG AND FOOT. ... The muscular irregularities were
numerous, and due in great measure to the peculiar arrangement of the bones, ..."
3. Proceedings by Philadelphia County Medical Society (1888)
"peculiar SEQUELS OF MEASLES. BY JAMES COLLINS, MD [Read September 28, 1887. ...
On the third day of the eruption she exhibited a peculiar irregular kick ..."
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