Word
peculiar
Phoneticspe·cu·liar, stress on the second syllable
US/pəkˈjuɫjɝ/
UK/pɪkjˈuːliə/
Definitions
01strange or odd
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. strange, unusual, or odd in a way that might be hard to understand.
adj. deviating from the usual or expected; exhibiting strangeness or eccentricity.
日本語:奇妙※
“The milk had a peculiar smell, so I decided not to drink it.”
“The witness noted a peculiar clicking sound emanating from the engine just moments before the vehicle came to a complete halt.”
02specific to one thing
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. belonging only to one particular person, place, or situation.
adj. belonging exclusively to a specific individual, group, or circumstance; often used with the preposition 'to'.
日本語:特有※
“This type of traditional dance is peculiar to this small mountain village.”
“The researcher argued that such linguistic patterns are peculiar to the isolated dialects of the northern archipelago.”
Usage
Usually followed by the preposition 'to'.
Synonyms
03private or personal
C2 · Proficiency Archaic · Literary
adj. belonging to yourself alone; not shared with others.
adj. pertaining to one's own private property or individual character; not held in common.
日本語:独自※
“He kept his peculiar troubles to himself and never asked for help.”
“In the old legal documents, the land was described as his peculiar possession, free from any claims by the local lord.”
Synonyms
04church jurisdiction
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Religion British English · Technical · Formal
n. a church or parish that is not under the control of the local bishop.
n. an ecclesiastical district or parish exempt from the jurisdiction of the bishop in whose diocese it lies.
“Westminster Abbey is a Royal Peculiar, meaning it answers directly to the monarch.”
“The legal status of the Royal Peculiars remains a unique vestige of medieval ecclesiastical law within the Church of England.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “peculiar” in context.
Verb
01. find the situation peculiar
“I found the situation peculiar, as no one had mentioned the change in plans to me.”
verb + noun + adj
02. have a peculiar habit
“My grandfather had a peculiar habit of whistling whenever he was deep in thought.”
verb + adj + noun
Adjective
03. peculiar smell
“A peculiar smell, like burnt rubber and cinnamon, wafted from the chemistry lab.”
adj + noun
Preposition
04. peculiar to the species
“Biologists are studying a unique mating ritual that is peculiar to the species of bird found on the island.”
adj + prep + noun
05. peculiar to this region
“The tradition of building stone towers is peculiar to this region and found nowhere else in the country.”
adj + prep + noun
Adverb
06. distinctly peculiar
“There was something distinctly peculiar about the way he avoided eye contact during the interview.”
adv + adj
07. rather peculiar
“It seemed rather peculiar that the office was completely empty on a Tuesday morning.”
adv + adj
Real-World Examples
“A new species of monkey — one with a peculiar salmon-hued pout — has been discovered by scientists in the Democratic Republic of Congo.” “A couple of weeks in, Lomax took a boat to Beaver Island, in the middle of Lake Michigan, a location with a peculiar and particular history.” Etymology
From Latin pecūliāris (“one's own”), from pecūlium (“private property”), from pecus (“cattle”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/peculiar
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0