peculiar — strange or odd; unusual
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: strange or odd; unusual
Pronunciation (IPA): /pɪˈkjuːljər/
Example Sentences
- My cat has a peculiar habit of sleeping in the washing machine.
- The teacher noticed something peculiar about Tom's handwriting.
- It's peculiar how he can eat pizza with chopsticks perfectly.
peculiar
ADJECTIVE[/pɪˈkjuːljər/]
strange or odd; unusual
Everyone noticed the man's peculiar hat at the festival.
A pea acts cool in your ear - how peculiar!
One peculiar step breaks the regular rhythm and feels irregular.
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'peculiaris' meaning 'one's own' or 'private,' derived from 'peculum' (private property), which comes from 'pecus' (cattle). The word originally referred to something belonging exclusively to one person, later evolving to mean distinctive or unusual.
Breakdown
Latin 'peculum' (private property) + '-aris' (adjective suffix) = 'peculiaris' (one's own, distinctive) → English 'peculiar' (strange or unusual)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My cat has a peculiar habit of sleeping in the washing machine.”
“The teacher noticed something peculiar about Tom's handwriting.”
“It's peculiar how he can eat pizza with chopsticks perfectly.”
“This dialect is peculiar to people living in mountain villages.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.