That which is peculiar; a sole or exclusive property; a prerogative; a characteristic.
"The unique hum of the ancient machine was a peculiar of that workshop, distinguishing it from every other building in the city."
In plain English: A peculiar is an unusual person who acts very strangely and differently from everyone else.
"The peculiar decided that his unusual habits were actually quite charming."
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
"a curious hybrid accent"
"her speech has a funny twang"
"they have some funny ideas about war"
"had an odd name"
"the peculiar aromatic odor of cloves"
"something definitely queer about this town"
"what a rum fellow"
"singular behavior"
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"
markedly different from the usual
"a peculiar hobby of stuffing and mounting bats"
"a man...feels it a peculiar insult to be taunted with cowardice by a woman"
characteristic of one only; distinctive or special
"the peculiar character of the Government of the U.S."
Out of the ordinary; odd; strange; unusual.
"The peculiar sound coming from the attic made everyone wonder what was happening inside."
In plain English: Peculiar means strange or unusual, often in a way that is specific to something particular.
"The dog had a peculiar habit of sleeping in the bathtub every night."
Usage: Use "peculiar" to describe something unique to a specific person or place, but avoid it when simply meaning "strange," as that usage is now considered archaic in American English. Prefer synonyms like "odd" or "unusual" for general strangeness and reserve "peculiar" for indicating exclusivity or distinctiveness.
The word peculiar comes from the Latin term peculiāris, meaning "one's own," which originally referred to private property derived from cattle. Over time, this sense of belonging evolved in English to describe something that is strange or unusual rather than simply owned by an individual.