Particular

Pronunciation

rhotic IPA: /pÉ™É¹ËˆtÉªkjÉ™lÉ™É¹/
non-rhotic IPA: /pÉ™ËˆtÉªkjÉ™lÉ™(É¹)/
US IPA: /pÉ™ËˆtÉªkjÉ™lÉ™É¹/

Alternative forms

perticular obsolete

Origin

From Anglo-Norman particuler, Middle French particuler, particulier, and their source, Late Latin particularis ("partial; separate, individual"), from Latin particula ("(small) part"). Compare particle.

Full definition of particular

Adjective

particular

(obsolete) Pertaining only to a part of something; partial.
Specific; discrete; concrete.I couldn't find the particular model you asked for, but I hope this one will do.We knew it was named after John Smith, but nobody knows which particular John Smith.

ShakespeareMake each particular hair to stand an end,
Like quills upon the fretful porpentine.

Specialised; characteristic of a specific person or thing.I don't appreciate your particular brand of cynicism.

Francis Baconwheresoever one plant draweth such a particular juice out of the earth

(obsolete) Known only to an individual person or group; confidential.

1623, William Shakespeare, King Lear, V.1:or these domesticke and particular broiles, Are not the question heere.

Distinguished in some way; special (often in negative constructions).My five favorite places are, in no particular order, New York, Chicago, Paris, San Francisco and London.I didn't have any particular interest in the book.He brought no particular news.She was the particular belle of the party.
(comparable) Of a person, concerned with, or attentive to, details; minute; precise; fastidious.He is very particular about his food and if it isn't cooked to perfection he will send it back.
Concerned with, or attentive to, details; minute; circumstantial; precise.a full and particular account of an accident
(legal) Containing a part only; limited.a particular estate, or one precedent to an estate in remainder
(legal) Holding a particular estate.a particular tenant
(logic) Forming a part of a genus; relatively limited in extension; affirmed or denied of a part of a subject.a particular proposition, opposed to "universal", e.g. (particular affirmative) "Some men are wise"; (particular negative) "Some men are not wise".

Synonyms

Antonyms

general

Derived terms

Related terms

particulars (certain individuals - not used in singular)

Noun

particular

(plural particulars)

A small individual part of something larger; a detail, a point. from 15th c.
(obsolete) A person's own individual case. 16th-19th c.

1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, II.16:Since philosophy could never find any way for tranquillity that might be generally good, let every man in his particular seeke for it.
Whole Duty of Mantemporal blessings, whether such as concern the public ... or such as concern our particular

(now philosophy, chiefly in plural) A particular case; an individual thing as opposed to a whole class. (Opposed to generals, universals.) from 17th c.

1912, Bertrand Russel, S:The Problems of Philosophy/Chapter 9, When we examine common words, we find that, broadly speaking, proper names stand for particulars, while other substantives, adjectives, prepositions, and verbs stand for universals.