Peculiar, a.
Etymology: [L. peculiaris, fr. peculium private property, akin to pecunia money: cf. OF. peculier. See Pecuniary.]
1. One's own; belonging solely or especially to an individual; not possessed by others; of private, personal, or characteristic possession and use; not owned in common or in participation. And purify unto himself a peculiar people. Titus ii. 14. Hymns . . . that Christianity hath peculiar unto itself. Hooker.
2. Particular; individual; special; appropriate. While each peculiar power forgoes his wonted seat. Milton. My fate is Juno's most peculiar care. Dryden.
3. Unusual; singular; rare; strange; as, the sky had a peculiarappearance.
Syn. -- Peculiar, Special, Especial. Peculiar is from the Roman peculium, which was a thing emphatically and distinctively one's own, and hence was dear. The former sense always belongs to peculiar (as, a peculiar style, peculiar manners, etc.), and usually so much of the latter as to involve feelings of interest; as, peculiar care, watchfulness, satisfaction, etc. Nothing of this kind belongs to special and especial. They mark simply the relation of species to genus, and denote that there is something in this case more than ordinary; as, a special act of Congress; especial pains, etc. Beauty, which, either walking or asleep, Shot forth peculiar graces. Milton. For naught so vile that on the earth doth live, But to the earth some special good doth give. Shak.
1 other Webster entry under this spelling
Peculiar, n.
1. That which is peculiar; a sole or exclusive property; a prerogative; a characteristic. Revenge is . . . the peculiar of Heaven. South.
2. (Eng. Canon Law)
A particular parish or church which is exempt from the jurisdiction of the ordinary. Court of Peculiars (Eng. Law), a branch of the Court of Arches having cognizance of the affairs of peculiars. Blackstone. -- Dean of peculiars. See under Dean, 1.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for peculiar; he lists it under queer, rare.
Where he writes about it:
That which is peculiar belongs especially to a person as his own; as, Israel was called Jehovah's "peculiar people," i. e., especially chosen and cherished by him; in its ordinary use there is the implication that the thing peculiar to one is not common to the majority nor quite approved by them, though it may be shared by many; as, the Shakers are peculiar. — from queer