peculiar

UK: /pɪˈkjuːliə^r/ US: /pɪˈkjuljɚ/ ,(pi kyo̅o̅l′yər)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pe•cu•liar /pɪˈkyulyɚ/   adj. 

1. strange;
   queer;
   odd:
   a peculiar noise coming from the car engine.
2. characteristic of some person, group, or thing:
   the peculiar properties of that drug.
   [be + ~ + to]
   an expression that is peculiar to Canadians.

pe•cu•liar•ly, adv. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pe•cu•liar  (pi kyo̅o̅l′yər), adj. 

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 fol. by to):
   an expression peculiar to Canadians.
5. belonging exclusively to some person, group, or thing:
   the peculiar properties of a drug.
6. Astronomy designating a star or galaxy with special properties that deviates from others of its spectral type or galaxy class.

n. 

7. a property or privilege belonging exclusively or characteristically to a person.
8. British Terms, Religion 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. British Terms, Printing peculiars. Also called arbitraries. special characters not generally included in standard type fonts, as phonetic symbols, mathematical symbols, etc.

• 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;

pe•cu′liar•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. eccentric, bizarre. See strange. 
• 2. extraordinary, singular, exceptional.
• 5. individual, personal, particular, special, unique.

Antonyms

• 2, 5. common.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

peculiar / pɪˈkjuːlɪə/ adjective

1. strange or unusual; odd: a peculiar individual, a peculiar idea
2. distinct from others; special
3. (postpositive) followed by to: belonging characteristically or exclusively (to): peculiar to North America

Etymology: 15th Century: from Latin pecūliāris concerning private property, from pecūlium, literally: property in cattle, from pecus cattle

peˈculiarly adverb