particular

The story

1. Latin · derived fromparticula“(small) part”
2. Late Latin · derived fromparticularis“partial; separate, individual”
3. Middle French · derived fromparticuler
4. Anglo-Norman · derived fromparticuler
5. Middle English · inherited fromparticuler
6. English todayparticular

From Middle English particuler, from Anglo-Norman particuler, Middle French particuler, particulier, from Late Latin particularis (“partial; separate, individual”), from Latin particula (“(small) part”). Equivalent to particle + -ar. Compare particle.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 15th c. A small individual part of something larger; a detail, a point.
• 16th–19th c. A person's own individual case.
• from 17th c. A particular case; an individual thing as opposed to a whole class. (Opposed to generals, universals.)