CategoryArchaic Word
Modern Equivalentspecially belonging; treasured; set apart.
KJV Word TypeAdjective
DefinitionSpecially belonging to God; treasured; set apart. In KJV usage, it does not primarily mean strange or odd.
Key Verses"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people." (1 Peter 2:9)
KJV Usage NoteMeans specially possessed or treasured by God, not strange or odd as in modern usage.
Common MisunderstandingIt does not primarily mean odd or strange; in the KJV it means specially belonging to God or treasured.
EtymologyFrom Latin peculiaris ("one’s own, private property").