| English Dictionary |
PARTICULAR
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
| IPA (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does particular mean?
• PARTICULAR (noun)
The noun PARTICULAR has 3 senses:
1. a fact about some part (as opposed to general)
2. a small part that can be considered separately from the whole
3. (logic) a proposition that asserts something about some (but not all) members of a class
Familiarity information: PARTICULAR used as a noun is uncommon.
• PARTICULAR (adjective)
The adjective PARTICULAR has 6 senses:
1. unique or specific to a person or thing or category
2. separate and distinct from others of the same group or category
3. surpassing what is common or usual or expected
4. first and most important
5. exacting especially about details
6. providing specific details or circumstances
Familiarity information: PARTICULAR used as an adjective is common.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
A fact about some part (as opposed to general)
Classified under:
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
Synonyms:
particular; specific
Context example:
he always reasons from the particular to the general
Hypernyms ("particular" is a kind of...):
fact (a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred)
Antonym:
general (a fact about the whole (as opposed to particular))
Sense 2
Meaning:
A small part that can be considered separately from the whole
Classified under:
Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas
Synonyms:
Context example:
it was perfect in all details
Hypernyms ("particular" is a kind of...):
component; component part; constituent; part; portion (something determined in relation to something that includes it)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "particular"):
high spot; highlight (the most interesting or memorable part)
Sense 3
Meaning:
(logic) a proposition that asserts something about some (but not all) members of a class
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Synonyms:
particular; particular proposition
Hypernyms ("particular" is a kind of...):
proposition ((logic) a statement that affirms or denies something and is either true or false)
Domain category:
logic (the branch of philosophy that analyzes inference)
Antonym:
universal ((logic) a proposition that asserts something of all members of a class)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Unique or specific to a person or thing or category
Synonyms:
Context example:
my own special chair
Similar:
specific ((sometimes followed by 'to') applying to or characterized by or distinguishing something particular or special or unique)
Derivation:
particularity (the quality of being particular and pertaining to a specific case or instance)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Separate and distinct from others of the same group or category
Context example:
a man who wishes to make a particular woman fall in love with him
Similar:
specific ((sometimes followed by 'to') applying to or characterized by or distinguishing something particular or special or unique)
Derivation:
particularity (the quality of being particular and pertaining to a specific case or instance)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Surpassing what is common or usual or expected
Synonyms:
especial; exceptional; particular; special
Context example:
what's so special about the year 2000?
Similar:
uncommon (not common or ordinarily encountered; unusually great in amount or remarkable in character or kind)
Sense 4
Meaning:
First and most important
Synonyms:
particular; special
Context example:
she gets special (or particular) satisfaction from her volunteer work
Similar:
primary (of first rank or importance or value; direct and immediate rather than secondary)
Sense 5
Meaning:
Exacting especially about details
Synonyms:
finical; finicky; fussy; particular; picky
Context example:
very particular about how her food was prepared
Similar:
fastidious (giving careful attention to detail; hard to please; excessively concerned with cleanliness)
Sense 6
Meaning:
Providing specific details or circumstances
Context example:
a particular description of the room
Similar:
careful (exercising caution or showing care or attention)
Context examples
If you should care to call upon me I could give you some particulars as to her painful history.
(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
I will endeavour, in my statement, to avoid such terms as would serve to limit the events to any particular place, or give a clue as to the people concerned.
(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
And always he saw that particular picture.
(Martin Eden, by Jack London)
The letter, whence sprang all this felicity, was short, containing little more than this assurance of success; and every particular was deferred till James could write again.
(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)
Fanny roused herself, and replying only in part, said, “But you are only going from one set of friends to another. You are going to a very particular friend.”
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
“My dear, you are too particular,” said her husband.
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
Most studies of zooplankton's role have assumed that behavior of particular zooplankton groups is representative of all zooplankton in the sea.
(Research provides new view of the critical role of plankton in marine carbon storage, National Science Foundation)
While such studies can find associations, they can’t prove the effects of a particular food.
(Can Chocolate Really Be Good for You?, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)
“Our results suggest that the firing of a particular group of neurons during REM sleep controls whether the brain remembers new information after a good night’s sleep.”
(The brain may actively forget during dream sleep, National Institutes of Health)
SiRNA molecules can do just that – binding to specific gene messenger molecules and destroying them before they can tell the cell to produce a particular protein.
(Nanoparticles used to transport anti-cancer agent to cells, University of Cambridge)
| Learn English with... Proverbs |
"A man should be a man" (Azerbaijani proverb)
"If you speak the word it shall own you, and if you don't you shall own it." (Arabic proverb)
"Keep throwing eggs on the wall." (Cypriot proverb)