peculiarly

pe·cu·liar·ly
P3E1C3U1L1I1A1R1L1Y4
US/pɪˈkjuljɚli/UK/pɪˈkjuːljəli/

adverb

To greater degree than is usual.

“He dresses peculiarly.”

Less commonScrabble 17

Meanings

adverbpeculiarly (comparative more peculiarly, superlative most peculiarly)

comparative more peculiarly · superlative most peculiarly

  1. Such as to be greater than usual; particularly; exceptionally.
    1. degreeTo greater degree than is usual.

      He has a peculiarly strong accent.

      3 more examples

      This racehorse is peculiarly fast.

      Democratic society is peculiarly dependent for its maintenance upon the use in forming a course of study of criteria which are broadly human.

      1916, John Dewey, “Section 14”, in Democracy and Education

      He begged pardon, and was getting into the carriage, but felt he must glance at her once more; not that she was very beautiful, not on account of the elegance and modest grace which were apparent in her whole figure, but because in the expression of her charming face, as she passed close by him, there was something peculiarly caressing and soft.

      1917, “Chapter 18”, in Garnett, Constance, transl., Anna Karenina, part one, translation of Анна Каренина by Leo Tolstoy, published 1877
    2. mannerIn a manner that is greater than usual.

      One of the phenomena which had peculiarly attracted my attention was the structure of the human frame, and, indeed, any animal endued with life.

      1818, Mary Shelley, “Chapter 4”, in Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus
      1 more example

      I feel that the Progressive Party should appeal peculiarly to the young men--and therefore to the boys--who ought to be the next generation of voters.

      1913 July 3, Theodore Roosevelt, Address to the Boys Progressive League

      Synonyms: in particular

  2. Such as to be strange or odd.
    1. degreeStrangely, oddly.

      His nose is peculiarly bent.

    2. mannerIn a strange or perverse manner; strangely.

      He dresses peculiarly.

      Synonyms: oddly

    3. evaluativeSuch as to be strange or odd.

      Peculiarly, his hat is on upside-down.

    4. act-relatedActing in strange or perverse way.

      Peculiarly, he left through the window.

      1 more example

      Peculiarly, he sat bolt upright and shouted "Geronimo!" whenever John Wayne appeared.

  3. Strongly associated with; in a manner that is peculiar or restricted to some person or place.
    1. degreeMostly or solely associated with.

      Having red hair and freckles is a characteristic that is peculiarly Northern European.

      5 more examples

      She was carried home quite exhausted; the only sign she gave of consciousness was, that when they were about to take her to the room which had formerly been her own, she raised her head, and feebly insisted on being taken to her uncle's. Every thing there was peculiarly his, and there she had gazed, for the last time, on his inanimate features; in that room she could call up his image more distinctly than elsewhere.

      1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The Last Night with the Dead”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 317

      This is one of the methods of procedure. The other is through man to God. The second is peculiarly Aryan, and the first is peculiarly Semitic.

      1907, Swami Vivekananda, “The Methods and Purpose of Religion”, in The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, volume 6

      However, he already gave strong indication of the peculiarly Russian genius for naturalness or realism, and was a true Russian in his simplicity of style.

      1917, “Introduction”, in Seltzer, Thomas, transl., Best Russian Short Stories

      This does not take into account the tens of thousands of New Yorkers who are harmlessly and charmingly insane in a peculiarly Manhattanite manner.

      1946, George Johnston, Skyscrapers in the Mist, page 52

      Railway grouping had caused some peculiarly Scottish phraseology to disappear, though the note "Stops on timous notice to the guard" survived until comparatively recently.

      1956 April, K. H. Rudolph, “Fun with "'Bradshaw"”, in Railway Magazine, page 253

Synonyms & antonyms

adverbIn a manner that is greater than usual.

adverbIn a strange or perverse manner; strangely.

Similar

More synonyms by meaning

adverbuniquely or characteristically

adverbin a manner differing from the usual or expected

adverbto a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

Translations

Esperanto strange
  • strangeSuch as to be strange or odd
Polish specyficznie, szczególnie
  • specyficznieSuch as to be greater than usual
  • szczególnieSuch as to be greater than usual
  • osobliwieSuch as to be strange or odd
  • dziwnieSuch as to be strange or odd
Cite this entry
APA

peculiarly. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/peculiarly

MLA

“peculiarly.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/peculiarly. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “peculiarly,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/peculiarly.

Source: peculiarly on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.