Origin: Latin suffix -ular
Particular has 11 different meanings across 2 categories:
a fact about some part (as opposed to general)
"he always reasons from the particular to the general"
a small part that can be considered separately from the whole
"it was perfect in all details"
(logic) a proposition that asserts something about some (but not all) members of a class
"In our logic lecture, we learned that a particular proposition claims only that some members of the class are red, without asserting that every single one is."
A small individual part of something larger; a detail, a point.
"She went through every particular of the contract to ensure no clauses were overlooked."
In plain English: A particular is a specific thing chosen from a group of similar items.
"I have a particular taste for chocolate ice cream."
Usage: Use "particular" as a noun to refer to a specific detail or minor component within a larger whole, such as noting a single item on a shopping list. Avoid confusing this with the adjective form, which describes something specific or distinct rather than a physical piece of information.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
"the particular demands of the job"
"has a particular preference for Chinese art"
"a peculiar bond of sympathy between them"
"an expression peculiar to Canadians"
"rights peculiar to the rich"
"the special features of a computer"
"my own special chair"
separate and distinct from others of the same group or category
"interested in one particular artist"
"a man who wishes to make a particular woman fall in love with him"
surpassing what is common or usual or expected
"he paid especial attention to her"
"exceptional kindness"
"a matter of particular and unusual importance"
"a special occasion"
"a special reason to confide in her"
"what's so special about the year 2000?"
first and most important
"his special interest is music"
"she gets special (or particular) satisfaction from her volunteer work"
exacting especially about details
"a finicky eater"
"fussy about clothes"
"very particular about how her food was prepared"
Pertaining only to a part of something; partial.
"The new policy applies in particular to employees who work remotely, leaving full-time office staff unaffected."
In plain English: Particular means being very specific about exactly what you want or need.
"She is very particular about what she eats for dinner."
Usage: Use "particular" as an adjective to mean specific or distinct when referring to a single item within a group, such as "a particular book." Do not use it to mean partial or incomplete, which is the definition of "partial."
The word "particular" comes from the Old French particulier, which was borrowed into Middle English around 1300. It originally meant a small or separate part, derived from the Latin root for "particle."