/peuhr tik"yeuh leuhr, peuh tik"-/ , adj.
1. of or pertaining to a single or specific person, thing, group, class, occasion, etc., rather than to others or all; special rather than general: one's particular interests in books.
2. immediately present or under consideration; in this specific instance or place: Look at this particular clause in the contract.
3. distinguished or different from others or from the ordinary; noteworthy; marked; unusual: She sang with particular warmth at last evening's concert.
4. exceptional or especial: Take particular pains with this job.
5. being such in an exceptional degree: a particular friend of mine.
6. dealing with or giving details, as an account or description, of a person; detailed; minute.
7. exceptionally selective, attentive, or exacting; fastidious; fussy: to be particular about one's food.
8. Logic.
a. not general; referring to an indefinite part of a whole class.
b. (of a proposition) containing only existential quantifiers.
c. partaking of the nature of an individual as opposed to a class.
9. Law.
a. noting an estate that precedes a future or ultimate ownership, as lands devised to a widow during her lifetime and after that to her children.
b. noting the tenant of such an estate.
n.
10. an individual or distinct part, as an item of a list or enumeration.
11. Usually, particulars . specific points, details, or circumstances: to give an investigator the particulars of a case.
12. Logic. an individual or a specific group within a general class.
13. in particular , particularly; specifically; especially: There is one book in particular that may help you.
[ 1350-1400; particularis, equiv. to L particul ( a ) PARTICLE + -aris -AR 1 ; r. ME particuler ]
Syn. 1. See special. 1, 2. specific. 2. distinct; discrete. 3. notable. 6. scrupulous, careful, exact, precise. 7. discriminating; finical, finicky. PARTICULAR, DAINTY, FASTIDIOUS imply great care, discrimination, and taste in choices, in details about one's person, etc. PARTICULAR implies esp. care and attention to details: particular about one's clothes. DAINTY implies delicate taste and exquisite cleanliness: a dainty dress. FASTIDIOUS implies being difficult to please and critical of small or minor points: a fastidious taste in styles. 10. feature, particularity.
Ant. 3. ordinary. 6. inexact. 7. undiscriminating.