particular

adjective

1 the action seems to discriminate against a particular group of companies:

specific, certain, distinct, separate, isolated;

single, individual, peculiar, discrete, definite, express, precise.

▷antonyms general.

2 an issue of particular importance:

special, extra special, especial, exceptional, unusual, marked, singular, uncommon, notable, noteworthy, remarkable, outstanding, unique;

formal peculiar.

▷antonyms ordinary.

3 he was particular about what he ate:

fussy, fastidious, meticulous, punctilious, discriminating, selective, painstaking, exacting, demanding, critical, over-particular, over-fastidious, finicky, faddish, finical, dainty;

informal choosy, picky;

British, informal faddy, pernickety;

North American, informal persnickety;

archaic nice.

▷antonyms careless, easy-going, laid-back.

4 he gave a long and particular account of his journey:

detailed, blow-by-blow, itemized, thorough, minute, exact, explicit, precise, faithful, close, circumstantial, painstaking, meticulous, punctilious, particularized.

noun

the two contracts will be the same in every particular:

detail, item, point, fine point, specific, specification, element, aspect, respect, regard, particularity, fact, feature, circumstance, thing.

□ in particular

1 she wasn't talking about anyone in particular:

specific, special.

2 beer drinkers in particular were hit by prices rising faster than inflation:

particularly, specifically, to be specific, especially, specially.

particular Oxford Dictionary of English