- peculiar
- c.1460, from L. peculiaris "of one's own (property)," from peculium "private property," lit. "property in cattle" (in ancient times the most important form of property), from pecu "cattle, flock," related to pecus "cattle" (see pecuniary). Meaning of "unusual" is first attested 1608; peculiarity "special characteristic" is from 1646; noun meaning "an oddity" is 1777.