peculiar
pronunciation
How to pronounce peculiar in British English:
UK [pɪˈkjuːliə(r)]
How to pronounce peculiar in American English:
US [pɪˈkjuːliər]
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- Adjective:
- beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
- unique or specific to a person or thing or category
- markedly different from the usual
- characteristic of one only; distinctive or special
Word Origin
- peculiar
- peculiar: [15] The etymological notion underlying peculiar is of ‘not being shared with others’, of being ‘one’s own alone’. It was borrowed from Latin pecūliāris ‘of private property’, a derivative of pecūlium ‘private property’, which in turn was based on pecus ‘cattle’, hence ‘wealth’ (source also of English pecuniary [16]). (A parallel semantic progression from ‘cattle’ to ‘property’ is shown in English fee.) The development of the adjective’s meaning from ‘belonging to oneself alone’ through ‘individual’ to ‘extraordinary, strange’ took place in Latin. Peculate ‘pilfer, embezzle’ [18] also comes ultimately from Latin pecūlium.=> pecuniary
- peculiar (adj.)
- mid-15c., "belonging exclusively to one person," from Latin peculiaris "of one's own (property)," from peculium "private property," literally "property in cattle" (in ancient times the most important form of property), from pecu "cattle, flock," related to pecus "cattle" (see pecuniary). Meaning "unusual" is first attested c. 1600 (earlier "distinguished, special," 1580s; for sense development, compare idiom). Related: Peculiarly.
Synonym
Example
- 1. For the renminbi , normal is peculiar .
- 2. Can this failure be put down to his peculiar personality and foibles ?
- 3. As we talked , something peculiar happened .
- 4. I saw all this unfold from a peculiar perspective .
- 5. Most peculiar is its presidential election , which has all the psychodrama of reality tv .