peculiar people

plural noun

1. the Jews as being God's chosen people. Deuteronomy 14:2.
2. (usually initial capital letters) a name adopted by certain fundamentalist Christian sects, signifying their refusal to conform to any rule of conduct that is contrary to the letter or spirit of the Bible.

peculiar people

plural noun

1. sometimes capitals a small sect of faith healers founded in London in 1838, having no ministers or external organization
2. the Jews considered as God's elect

Word History and Origins

Origin of peculiar people¹

First recorded in 1485–95

Example Sentences

What’s most impressive about Harris’s novel is how he attends to the lives of these peculiar people while capturing the tectonic tensions at play in the American South.

From Washington Post

Democrats pushing impeachment 2.0 know that many states’ Republican Party organizations are controlled by peculiar people.

From Washington Post

King notes that Mormons are raised to see themselves as “peculiar people,” with a deep commitment to principled living.

From Seattle Times

His endearing stories about peculiar people remain a testament to his observational skills and his management of words.

From Washington Times

Some of these evangelical congregations have taken over old English churches; others, like the Peculiar People, occupy unloved buildings, in this case a long, windowless room above a garage advertising tires from 15 pounds.

From Reuters