particular

1 of 2

adjective

par·​tic·​u·​lar pər-ˈti-kyə-lər 

pə-,

-k(ə-)lər

1

: of, relating to, or being a single person or thing

the particular person I had in mind

2

: of, relating to, or concerned with details

gave us a very particular account of the trip

3

a

: distinctive among other examples or cases of the same general category : notably unusual

suffered from measles of particular severity

This computer program will be of particular interest to teachers.

b

: being one unit or element among others

particular incidents in a story

4

a

: concerned over or attentive to details : meticulous

a very particular gardener

b

: nice in taste : fastidious

She's very particular about her clothes.

c

: hard to please : exacting

never loses patience even with the most particular customers

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

obsolete : partial

particular

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: an individual fact, point, circumstance, or detail

a hero in every particular

—Ron Fimrite

b

: a specific item or detail of information

—usually used in plural

wanted to know all the particulars of the incident

bill of particulars

2

a

: an individual or a specific subclass (as in logic) falling under some general concept or term

b

: a particular proposition in logic

Phrases

in particular

1

: in distinction from others : specifically

2

archaic : a separate part of a whole

Synonyms

Adjective

• choosy
• choosey
• dainty
• delicate
• demanding
• exacting
• fastidious
• finical
• finicking
• finicky
• fussbudgety
• fussy
• nice
• old-maidish
• pernickety [chiefly British]
• persnickety
• picky

Noun

• detail
• item
• point

Choose the Right Synonym for particular

Adjective

circumstantial, minute, particular, detailed mean dealing with a matter fully and usually point by point.

circumstantial implies fullness of detail that fixes something described in time and space.

a circumstantial account of our visit

minute implies close and searching attention to the smallest details.

a minute examination of a fossil

particular implies a precise attention to every detail.

a particular description of the scene of the crime

detailed stresses abundance or completeness of detail.

a detailed analysis of the event

special, especial, specific, particular, individual mean of or relating to one thing or class.

special stresses having a quality, character, identity, or use of its own.

special ingredients

especial may add implications of preeminence or preference.

a matter of especial importance

specific implies a quality or character distinguishing a kind or a species.

children with specific nutritional needs

particular stresses the distinctness of something as an individual.

a ballet step of particular difficulty

individual implies unequivocal reference to one of a class or group.

valued each individual opinion

Noun

item, detail, particular mean one of the distinct parts of a whole.

item applies to each thing specified separately in a list or in a group of things that might be listed or enumerated.

every item on the list

detail applies to one of the small component parts of a larger whole such as a task, building, painting, narration, or process.

leave the details to others

particular stresses the smallness, singleness, and especially the concreteness of a detail or item.

a description that included few particulars

Examples of particular in a Sentence

Adjective

The computer program will be of particular interest to teachers.

Pay particular attention to the poet's choice of words.

Our teacher is very particular when it comes to punctuation.

Noun

They wanted to know the facts down to every particular.

requested a bill of particulars for the care he received in the hospital

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Zendaya in particular has a huge social reach needed for the film. —Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Apr. 2024

As for opponents, one particular Hall of Fame hitter didn’t fare well against Schallock. —Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2024

That sentiment within the Panthers’ fan base has grown in particular recently. —Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 26 Apr. 2024

The visitors have also taken a particular interest in one specific parking lot, which offers a picturesque view of the famed volcano in the background of a convenience store. —Koh Ewe, TIME, 26 Apr. 2024

Some of my favorite people on earth are activists — human-rights activists, in particular. —Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 26 Apr. 2024

Classical Music With more than fifty concerts over three days in Brooklyn, this year’s Long Play Festival, organized by Bang on a Can, celebrates contemporary music in general and minimalism in particular. —The New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2024

While there may be multiple brands in my closet, there’s one in particular that keeps rising to the top. —Jamie Allison Sanders, Peoplemag, 26 Apr. 2024

On the consumer side, the researchers envision one-day building out an app grocery store patrons could use to scan a potato and look up its particular attributes. —Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 25 Apr. 2024

Noun

Biden has largely refrained from seizing on the particulars of any of the cases against Trump, seeking to maintain distance between the campaign and the decisions of prosecutors who say politics plays no role in their work. —Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2024

Schwartz: There’s a lot of other people who were probably more qualified and in the industry to have discussions about the particulars of what can be done. —Kaitlyn Huamani, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024

The eligibility and payment particulars differ by plan. —The Enquirer, 23 Feb. 2024

Today, after two years of haggling over the particulars of the final package and in the midst of a brewing culture war that has made sustainability a controversial topic, most commentators have become a bit more cynical than that. —Mary Foley, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024

And research by dozens of linguistics scholars, many of whom are in Michigan, has contributed to understanding the nuances and particulars of the language, including its role in the classroom and reading instruction. —Lily Altavena, Detroit Free Press, 25 Mar. 2024

Scientists can currently map the particulars of that oblateness on a 50-kilometer scale, but the goal of SunSketcher is to bring that measurement to within something more like a few kilometers of accuracy instead. —Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2024

Gossip about her spread; her reputation as a genius and an eccentric grew, as did interest in the particulars of her dress and comportment. —Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 29 Jan. 2024

What are the particulars of the suit, and where is the DOJ really putting the screws to Apple? Andrew Couts: Sure. —Michael Calore Lauren Goode, WIRED, 28 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

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

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Phrases Containing particular

• in particular

Kids Definition

particular

1 of 2 adjective

par·​tic·​u·​lar pə(r)-ˈtik-(y)ə-lər 

-ˈtik-lər

1

: of or relating to the separate parts of a whole

each particular item on the list

2

: of or relating to a single person or thing

my particular skills

3

: very unusual : special

a storm of particular violence

4

: hard to please : fastidious

particular about their clothes

particular

2 of 2 noun

: an individual fact, detail, or item

Legal Definition

particular

adjective

par·​tic·​u·​lar

in the civil law of Louisiana : of or relating to a designated property or to the inheritance of it compare universal