Main Entry: ¹par·tic·u·lar

Pronunciation: \pə(r)-ˈti-kyə-lər, -k(ə-)lər\

Function: adjective

Etymology: Middle English particuler, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin particularis, from Latin particula small part

Date: 14th century

1 : of, relating to, or being a single person or thing <the particular person I had in mind>
2 obsolete : partial
3 : of, relating to, or concerned with details <gave us a very particular account of the trip>
4 a : distinctive among other examples or cases of the same general category : notably unusual <suffered from measles of particular severity> b : being one unit or element among others <particular incidents in a story>
5 a : denoting an individual member or subclass in logic b : affirming or denying a predicate to a part of the subject —used of a proposition in logic <“some men are wise” is a particular affirmative>
6 a : concerned over or attentive to details : meticulous <a very particular gardener> b : nice in taste : fastidious c : hard to please : exacting

synonyms see circumstantial, special