peculiar
/pɪˈkjul.jɚ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.67 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
adj
Common or usual for a certain place or circumstance; specific or particular.
adj
One's own; belonging solely or especially to an individual; not shared or possessed by others.
Dated
noun
That which is peculiar; a sole or exclusive property; a prerogative; a characteristic.
noun
an ecclesiastical district, parish, chapel or church outside the jurisdiction of the bishop of the diocese in which it is situated.
British usage
Example Sentences
- "The sky had a peculiar appearance before the storm."
- "It would be rather peculiar to see a kangaroo hopping down a city street."
- "I saw nothing peculiar in his conduct, and thought that his arrangement of the ballot box was perfect."
- ""Wasn't it peculiar," I heard mother say, "How he wouldn't talk about himself?" "Peculiar?" said father. "Well, yes, in a way." "Everything about him is peculiar." Mother sounded as if she was stirred up and interested. "I never saw a man quite like him before.""
- "Blue and gold macaws are not native to Caracas. But over the past two decades their numbers in Venezuela's capital have skyrocketed, with hundreds of these birds now flying freely across the city, and dazzling locals with their colorful feathers and peculiar calls."
- "Kangaroos are peculiar to Australia."
Etymology
Origin
- Source language: Latin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *peḱ-, pecūliāris
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /pɪˈkjul.jɚ/
- British English: /pɪˈkjuː.li.ə/
Usage
Inflected Forms
Derived Forms
Phrases
chemically peculiar star
funny peculiar
peculiar institution
peculiar motion
Peculiar People
peculiar velocity
Peculiar in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)
Frequently Paired Words
Peculiar in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)