peculiarity

[ pi-kyoo-lee-ar-i-tee, -kyool-yar- ]

noun

, plural pe·cu·li·ar·i·ties.

1. a trait, manner, characteristic, or habit that is odd or unusual.

   Synonyms: idiosyncrasy

2. oddity; singularity; eccentricity.

   Synonyms: irregularity

3. a distinguishing quality or characteristic.
4. the quality or condition of being peculiar.

peculiarity

/ pɪˌkjuːlɪˈærɪtɪ /

noun

1. a strange or unusual habit or characteristic
2. a distinguishing trait, etc that is characteristic of a particular person; idiosyncrasy
3. the state or quality of being peculiar

Word History and Origins

Origin of peculiarity¹

First recorded in 1600–10; from Late Latin pecūliāritās “private property, special care,” a derivative of pecūliāris peculiar + -itas -ity ( def )

Synonym Study

See eccentricity. See feature.

Example Sentences

They have not been awarded medals, but with their quirky displays of passion, patriotism and downright peculiarity, they have provided plenty of highlights.

From BBC

William James brushed off Darwin’s idea, arguing that music is simply a byproduct of how our minds work — a “mere incidental peculiarity of the nervous system.”

From New York Times

The statement, shared with The Times on Thursday, continued: “Printing falsehoods is against the law in the UK and Australia; this is not a ‘peculiarity’ as Ms. Wilson said, but a legal principle that has existed for many hundreds of years.

From Los Angeles Times

Manos Limpias takes advantage of a peculiarity of Spanish law called the “popular prosecution” that allows individuals or entities to take part in certain criminal cases even when they haven’t been directly harmed by the accused.

From Seattle Times

It acts as the “popular prosecution,” a peculiarity of Spanish law that allows individuals or entities to take part in certain criminal cases even when they haven’t been directly harmed by the accused.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• distinctiveness
• eccentricity
• foible
• idiosyncrasy
• particularity
• quirk
• trait