Word
peculiarly
Phoneticspe·cu·liar·ly, stress on the second syllable
US/pɪkˈjuɫjɝɫi/
UK/pɪkjˈuːliəli/
Adverb of manner
Definition
adv. in a strange or unusual way that stands out. You use it when something looks, sounds, or feels odd.
adv. in a strange or distinctive manner that sets something apart from what is normal or expected. Before adjectives, often weakens toward 'unusually' to mark degree rather than manner.
Examples
“The old house smells peculiarly sweet and dusty.”
“The engine sounds peculiarly quiet this morning, so the mechanic checks it before the long drive.”
“The town remains peculiarly untouched by modern development, its narrow lanes and stone cottages preserving a rhythm of life that larger cities lost decades ago.”
Examples
simple
“The old house smells peculiarly sweet and dusty.”
contextual
“The engine sounds peculiarly quiet this morning, so the mechanic checks it before the long drive.”
complex
“The town remains peculiarly untouched by modern development, its narrow lanes and stone cottages preserving a rhythm of life that larger cities lost decades ago.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “peculiarly” in context.
Verb
01. behave peculiarly
“The dog began to behave peculiarly before the thunderstorm.”
verb + adv
02. peculiarly position
“The hotel is peculiarly positioned between a motorway and a forest.”
adv + verb
03. peculiarly resonate
“Her novel peculiarly resonates with young urban readers.”
adv + verb
04. peculiarly suit
“This teaching method is peculiarly suited to visual learners.”
adv + verb
Adjective
05. peculiarly british
“He has a peculiarly British sense of irony and understatement.”
adv + adj
06. peculiarly calm
“She remained peculiarly calm during the emergency evacuation.”
adv + adj
07. peculiarly familiar
“His voice sounded peculiarly familiar, though we had never met.”
adv + adj
08. peculiarly quiet
“The house was peculiarly quiet after the children left for school.”
adv + adj
09. in a peculiarly british way
“He apologised in a peculiarly British way, with dry humour.”
10. peculiarly calm under pressure
“The captain stayed peculiarly calm under pressure throughout the crisis.”
11. peculiarly modern take on history
“The museum offers a peculiarly modern take on ancient history.”
12. peculiarly quiet for a city
“The square was peculiarly quiet for a city centre on Saturday.”
Usage
Modifies verbs, adjectives, or whole clauses; before an adjective it often means 'unusually' ('peculiarly quiet').
Real-World Examples
“Basquiat's life and death tread that peculiarly American line where tabloid meets tragedy.” “Nothing is provable, nothing is believable, and although swindles are hardly new in show business, it's been a long time since such a peculiarly poisonous kind of swindle has come along.” Etymology
From peculiar + -ly.
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
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/peculiarly